Wolves That Walk Alone
by TheManThatWalksTheAbyss115
Summary: There's always been growing legends in Remnant. Some of fearless warriors and others of horror, but there's one that's recently been picked up by the inhabitants. A legend of a man who was more akin to a wolf without a pack, barely speaking and doing his deed before leaving without a trace. After all... some people just want isolation rather than company.
1. Chapter 1

"This is the Pillar of Autumn. We're away. The package is delivered." Keyes' voice rang out. Those were the last words he had heard as he watched the ship break atmosphere. He knew this was his end, he knew that as long as the package was secure and the Pillar made it out safely then his sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. He walked for a long time, didn't know how long and it didn't matter. Eventually he came across the battlefield, broken and barren from the countless battles that had occurred here.

He managed to get Emile's dog tags and hold them close next to Jorge's, despite being with them for a short amount of time, he found companionship in Noble Team. He enjoyed their company like some of the war orphans during his Spartan training. Despite him being a part of the team during the Fall of Reach, he knew that solitude was always going to be his true companion in the end. It wasn't a stranger to him like some of the others. In fact, he found comfort in solitude. The feeling of isolation calmed him at times and there were moments that brought him back to when he was clearing out insurrectionists by himself.

The smoke in the sky and Banshees that flew across bounced off his visor. He was brought back to reality when he heard a Phantom approaching and snapped into a stance he always had when he was about to get into a firefight. Turning around and spotting a mounted turret, he gripped it and began firing into a nearby Elite that was coming around a truck. Its shields flared up in response to the amount of rounds being firing into it and eventually they fell, soon blood began to fly out from its body and it slumped over dead. Covenant spotted him and began to shout slurs at him while aiming their weapons and firing. Plasma rounds hit him and made him slightly wince at the force but he wouldn't give the bastards the satisfaction.

His vision caught the Phantom soaring overhead and the main gun hone in on him, ripping the turret off its stand, he jumped from the perch as soon as the heavy plasma cannon fired. More rounds from the automated cannon fired after him but he merely avoided them and their area of affect. Once he was sure it was gone, he slightly ducked when a Grunt fired it's plasma pistol at him, widening its eyes when he turned the turret in its direction and fired. It took seven rounds to kill it and he turned the turret to several Covenant, letting the barrel heat up as he fired rounds at them and reduced their bodies to mere piles of steamy flesh. Three Elites started to rush towards him with their plasma rifles and fire at him; he returned it with the remaining rounds of the turret. Two of the Elites fell while the last one rushed towards him as soon as it realized he was out of ammo for the turret. Quickly dropping the gun, he equipped his DMR and fired four rounds at its head, making it recoil.

One more shot and its shields broke with a flash before he put another round into its skull, watching as skull fragments and brain matter splattered against the ground. A couple of Grunts started to flee when they saw one of the stronger members of the Covenant fall under the demon and started to run away. Three shots to their skulls made them drop and he saw that he had seven shots left in the magazine. His shields flared up when plasma slammed into him before turning around and firing into the Jackal that was holding its shield up.

It gave a cry of pain and dropped to its knee when he firing into its hand then firing another round into his skull. He ran into the broken building but not before his helmet cracked when it took a shot of plasma, making him frown. He could tell his HUD was starting to lose some of its features the more his helmet became damaged. He switched his magnum and fired three rounds into a Grunt, ignoring its cries as it died. A plasma grenade stuck to the ground and he could hear it start to explode which forced him dive out of the building. He rolled a few times and came to a crouch, firing the rest of the mag into an Elite before he had to reload.

More Elites, Jackals, and Grunts started to close in on him, making him fire the rest of his magnum into the crowd before it ran low on ammo. He managed to kill the Grunts and a few of the Jackals but the Elites were still a problem. With his magnum had four rounds in it, he switched back to the DMR and fired the rest of the magazine into a few weak Elites and killed them before reloading quickly.

Each shot struck home and at the weakest points of the Covenant. Two shots and another Elite was dead before he turned to the other one, firing several shots and killing it shortly after. A noise over his head made him look up to see a Dropship lowering towards the ground and more troops jumped onto the ground and closed in on him. Five shots into the crowd of Covenant and five Grunts were dead, all with holes in their heads. Elites shouted slurs at him but he paid no mind, it didn't matter in the end because either they would be dead or he would.

Two magazines later and he finally ran out of ammo for his DMR, a second later another crack appeared on his helmet and rendered his HUD practically useless at this point. He didn't care, all he needed was another gun and a breather and he'd be ready to go for another ten rounds. Deep down he knew he wouldn't last another five but he'd make this a fight that they never forgot.

He moved out of the way when an energy sword swung at him and slammed the butt of his rifle into the Elite, making it roar as its shields went down. This bought him a tiny window to go behind it and jump on its back. His hand clasped around one of its mandibles before pulling with all his might. That sickening crack of the neck made him crack a small smirk before he picked up an energy sword and slashed another one that came from behind, making its body fly a few feet. His fist slammed into another one and knocked its shields down and it made the mistake of throwing its arms up in rage. He went behind it and stood on its back before shoving the sword through its heart and ripping it out.

Two Elite rushed after him and he quickly sprinted up the stairs, snagging the armor lock and activating it as soon as a grenade landed next to him. The small fuse on it met his ears and soon after it exploded, knocking a few boxes away. The sprint armor ability merely made him faster at times, it didn't necessarily mean he couldn't sprint like everyone else, it just meant it enhanced it.

Two Elites that entered the building were assaulted with heavy rounds from the sniper rifle he picked up earlier. One of their shields were down and fell when he focused fire on the weakened one. He dove backwards when the second one threw a grenade at him and forced him outside. More Covenant saw him and began to fire at him, four Elites focused fire on him and he managed to kill three of them before he couldn't take it anymore. His weapons were dry and the pain from all the fire was just too much for him to handle, even his helmet felt suffocating.

He threw it off and ignored the plasma shots there fired his way as he spotted an assault rifle on the ground. He picked up the weapon and fired into the Elite. It staggered towards him but soon fell on the ground dead when he pumped enough rounds into it. Footsteps behind him and his instincts told him to slam the butt of his rifle against the assailant's face; the Elite from behind fell and tried to get up had he not fired a magnum round into its skull. He holstered his sidearm but recoiled when plasma rifle rounds were firing into body, making him stumble back and fire his assault rifle into the attacker. Another barrage of plasma made him flinch and reach around his waist with his left hand and pull his side arm out.

One Elite fell from the magnum rounds. Another from the assault rifle that shredded its body. The third rushed up to him and shoved him harshly, throwing him onto the ground and knocking his weapons from his hands. The Ultra jumped onto him but he blocked it with his foot and shoved it away, back onto his broken helmet. A Zealot tried to stab him but missed when he moved out of the way and slammed his fist against it, knocking its sword away. The Ultra tried to pin him down but he slammed his elbow against it, the force of the blow was enough to break its shields and break its neck. He was about to stand up but felt a searing pain in his abdomen.

He shakily looked down to see the energy dagger from the Zealot in his abdomen. It said something to him and he gripped its hand with his before pulling with all his might. The snapping of bone and tearing of flesh met his ears before he let go and saw its hand next to him. He ignored the wails of pain from it and turned his head towards to his left to see the smoke slightly clear up.

His vision slowly started to fade when he saw the battlecruiser overhead. All was quiet except for the winds that were blowing. The burning sensation in his abdomen had long since faded from the intense heat of the plasma. For the first time in the three days he had been in this constant struggle to survive after the Fall of Reach... he smiled. Not because he was dying and was lying in a pile of slain enemies that went into the dozens, possibly hundreds, but because he knew humanity would prevail in the end. He knew that someone down the road would finish the fight, not for him, but for mankind itself. They'd take his and Noble Team's sacrifice and make sure the people of mankind survive the future. His job was done now, he could rest. After all...

There'll be another time...

* * *

Six wasn't a stranger to the unknown. He welcomed it at times unlike others who feared it. The first thing he noticed was that it was cold, not like Sword Base on the Babd Catha Ice Shelf but more along the lines of a cold fall morning. The second thing was that he was in the woods, the quiet woods that put him on alert so much that he didn't notice some things at first. His HUD was fixed, he had his DMR and a shotgun on his back, and a TAC pad on his forearm. He set his weapons down and took off his helmet to inspect it. It wasn't his Mark V but a Grenadier helmet with a UA/FC accessories on it. Sniper shoulder armor that held Anti-material rounds. His chest armor was what he had observed as Collar/Breacher variant that held shells for his shotgun. A trauma kit on his leg for utility and a TACPAD on his wrist. Grenadier knee guards and a black visor for a more intimidating look he supposed.

"Odd..." He muttered and put the helmet back on. He recognized the shotgun and it was Emile's, which made him reach around and pull out his dog tags, letting them dangle in his hands. Staring at them for a minute, he sighed then put them back in their place before heading off in a direction. This wasn't Reach. Reach was a scorched planet and a fallen bastion of humanity, he didn't know how he got here to be honest. It confused him and that bothered him. Confusion led to poor decision making, and that led to mistakes that could be made. Mistakes at the wrong time led to one's downfall.

Humming at his thoughts drifting, he kept North for some reason. For all he knew, he could be on a planet taken over by the Covenant so keeping his guard up was his only option. Time passed by and he came across what looked like a village. He went on alert when he heard shouting and quickly hid in one of the bushes and observed from a distance. There were people storming into homes and houses, hauling out valuables and food while some people lied dead on the ground. To his right was a truck that was being loaded with bags and boxes full of supplies. People were being rounded up and either assaulted or killed on the spot.

These weren't insurrectionists, their gear didn't match; some brandished guns while others wielded swords. No, he knew what insurrectionists looked like and operated like and these weren't it, they were too uncoordinated, too arrogant for his taste. Despite them being human, they were threatening innocent people which meant he had all the right to put them in the ground. He's only been here for maybe three hours since he woke up in the woods but he's already seen something that needed to be stopped. There were shouts from the civilians and he silently crept towards the driver of the truck. He had been looking for a word for the attackers and nothing came up other than the term Bandit. These people were nothing but mere bandits like in some of the history books he used to read in his downtime.

He had the element of surprise and he wouldn't compromise his position yet. It took him sticking close to the ground and the driver too busy looking backwards to notice him until he was right next to him. The man didn't even get to utter a single noise before gigantic hands gripped his mouth and the back of his head then twisted. A sickening crack was heard and the body slumped onto the ground with a thump. He grabbed the body and threw it over his shoulder like it was a mere pillow and opened the truck door, throwing the body into the driver's seat and leaning it against the wheel.

He hadn't anticipated the honking and was about to take the body off but a plan formed in his mind. It would draw some of them in the area where he could either eliminate them or slip inside the compound and take them out from the inside, only time would tell. Forcing himself to move back to his spot in the bushes, he went to a prone position and hoped that the brush would provide enough camouflage to hide him. Like he anticipated, some of them came out and investigated the sudden noise, it allowed him enough time to sneak inside without a sound. It was a very long street that had houses on either side, which provided him with a perfect amount of cover.

The bandits were suddenly on alert when they found one of their own dead but Six wasn't paying that much attention to them, he was more focused on the one that was currently bringing a young girl, presumably sixteen, down one of the alleyways. He threw her on the ground and chuckled darkly as he brandished a knife, unaware that Six was approaching from behind without a sound. Her eyes were wide with fear as he brought the knife closer and she flinched when he thrust it down, closing her eyes in anticipation to her death. The blow never came though.

She looked up to see the man gagging while a 6'9 behemoth of a titan had one hand around the offending arm and the other around the man's windpipe. He dug his armored hand into the windpipe and squeezed with an impressive display of force. The sickening sound of flesh being torn resonated through the air, her eyes widened when the titan suddenly ripped the man's throat out like it was wet paper and threw the body away and the throat. She scooted back in fear when the titan looked down on her and knelt to her level, tilting his head.

"Are you injured?" He asked. His tone was cold, calculative, but it held a minuscule amount of worry for her well being.

"N-No. I'm fine... thank you." She gulped.

"I advise you to stay here. I'll handle the threats." He said. She nodded shakily and watched as he equipped his DMR and silently crept through the spaces between houses, never once making a sound. He saw that there were fifteen bandits in total, eleven near the dozen civilians and four alerted ones near the truck at the entrance of the town. He wouldn't really call this town but more along the lines of a village, or a settlement for that matter. His boots barely made a sound as he dashed across the street and aimed down the sights to see one of the bandits hold a gun up to one of the civilians. He hadn't forgotten his training but he would not risk a civilian's death on his watch and honed his sights on the offending bandit, pulling a trigger before they could.

The crack of his DMR rang loudly throughout the air and the round soared quickly before planting itself through the man's skull. His head snapped back as the round went through and splattered brain matter and skull fragments on the ground. He disappeared around the corner of the house as soon as he fired and went behind another house the moment he heard shouting. They knew he was here, he still had the element of surprise but not as much as he would like. He heard shouts of spreading out and slightly beamed. Them spreading out made it easier to take them out one by one. With how disorganized they were, it was no surprise that those three that he killed fell like ants. But he was not one to underestimate an enemy force, he would remain vigilant.

Two went down the alley that he was occupying but didn't see him until they rounded the corner. Before they could fire a shot, he equipped his combat knife and slashed one of their throats before parrying another one that had a sword. She slashed at Six but spat up saliva when he slammed the palm of his hand against her stomach before a quick slash of the knife made her gurgle wetly as blood leaked out profusely. Six watched the bodies lie on the ground for a few seconds before dashing behind the houses, avoiding the field of vision from the ones approaching. He was three houses down when he saw two more bandits spot the recently killed ones then bellow in rage, claiming how they were going to find him and make him suffer.

Twelve of them left.

His instincts blared and he ducked to avoid an axe that would've connected to his neck had he not moved out of the way. He turned around to see a man that was around his height snarl at him before pulling the weapon free. He swung twice but both swipes were dodged with precision. Six blocked an overhead swipe easily then twisted the gun clockwise, making the man lose some of his grip on the splitting tool. He managed to throw the weapon into the dirt before grabbing a punch sent his way then twist the man's wrist painfully. His foot lashed out and kicked his shin before he flipped him over his shoulder with his hand still in his then twisted quickly, breaking the man's wrist and forearm. He screamed painfully before being silenced with a single shot to the forehead, alerting the others to his position.

They knew he was here which meant they were closing in on his position quickly, more than he had anticipated but he adapted. One made the mistake of coming around the corner too quickly and jerked his head back when a single DMR round punched a hole in his head, making him crumble to the ground. He kicked the backdoor of the house down then dove inside when rounds started flying his way. He knew his shields would keep him safe momentarily but his training and instincts kicked in so he couldn't help it. He treated every situation like it was life or death, which is ironic, because this very well could be.

He saw that the kitchen connected to the living room and that connected to the front door. His shotgun was in his hands and his DMR was on his back as he aimed his gun at the backdoor. One of the bandits made the foolish mistake of coming through the door that he kicked down and found a M296 Magnum shell discharged into her torso, which punched a hole the size of a dinner plate into it. Blood and gore splattered against the walls as her body flew out of the entrance.

A grenade was thrown into the house next to him and the fuse was going, making him activate his armor lock and feel the force of the grenade. He didn't know what kind of grenade that was because the area around him cackled with electricity but was quickly snuffed out when the EMP from the armor lock burst out. Shots from the front door splintered the wood and hit him, making his shields flare up in response; the effects were... rather weak. It was like a weaker version of plasma in his opinion. His shields still took a mildly concerning amount of damage but it didn't really make him tense up like he did when Plasma was thrown his way.

He looked at the motion tracker and fired two shells at the door, the sound of two bodies slumping met his ears and gave him some breathing room for a quick second.

Seven hostiles left. Their deaths would be quicker than they could blink or it could be brutal, depending on the situation. The front door to the house was kicked in and he had to duck underneath a set of arms that tried to grasp him. His fist clenched tightly and he uppercutted a massive man that was a few inches taller than him. His foot slammed on the man's shin and a natural force field from him cackled and sputtered before being replaced with the snapping of bone. He fell. Hard enough to shake the ground a bit.

His screaming suddenly stopped when Six jumped up high in the air and crushed the man's skull beneath both his feet. The force of the jump combined with the weight of him and the armor made the skull crush like a grape. Blood flew from the crushed head and splattered against the walls and his armor. The back door exploded with bullets and they impacted his shields a bit, he sighed and slightly winced before rolling out of the front door and into the main street. The civilians saw him aim his gun in their direction and fire half a second later, making them cower down. They screamed when they heard the shots but slowly opened their eyes when they saw neither of those two rounds were meant for them, rather the two bandits that were keeping some of the group hostage.

Four left.

Two bandits came from the house adjacent to him while the other two others followed from his opposite. Their eyes were wide at his size but also the blood that seemed to dribble down his armor. They backed up when his stance shifted and he switched to his shotgun when they surrounded him. All was quiet as the four surrounded him and began to circle him while brandishing different weapons. Everything seemed to slow down as a plan formed in his mind as he assessed the situation.

Four attackers. One has a gun, the two diagonal to him have swords, and the final one seems to have an axe but with a trigger on it? He closed his eyes and let out a few calming breaths before snapping them open when a battle cry was heard. He ducked down quickly to avoid a shot from the gun user before sweeping his leg of one of the sword users. His shotgun was leveled at the ranged attacker and he pulled the trigger, watching the man's body fly through the air then land on one of the stalls, turning it into splinters. The sword attacker beneath him looked up to see the barrel pointing at him before his world went black. The other sword attacker managed to move out of the way from the first shotgun blast at him but a loud crack from his neck was heard when Six slammed the stock of the gun against his throat.

He jumped back when the man with the axe swung downwards at him and twisted out of the way when a shot from the axe came soon after. He dodged several swipes from the weapon then ducked underneath a wide swipe before rushing up to the attacker and equipping his combat knife. There was a loud shattering noise and and the squelching of the knife entering the man's heart rang out. Six twisted the knife a bit and heard the man groan before dragging the knife upwards and watched as a geyser of blood shot out. It sprayed for a few seconds before the body crumbled to the ground.

Everything was quiet as he looked at the carnage he had enacted then his eyes caught sight of the civilians. Some of them flinched when he looked towards them while others seemed to scoot away when he approached them. They closed their eyes when he brought out his combat knife and reached towards them, only to shakily open them when they saw he was cutting their bindings. It barely took any strength to actually cut the rope and it took a few minutes to actually set everyone free but he managed to do it. Once they were all free and hugged one another, they looked at him. There was a sudden tenseness in the air as they stared at the giant black and red death machine that seemed to slaughter an entire bandit tribe easily.

"What's your name?" One of them asked. At first, he was silent but then he realized that they had been waiting for an answer for what he assumed was a few minutes.

"Some people just call me six." He answered. Some people winced at his particularly cold voice.

"That's not a name, it's a number. Are you part of a new Atlas squad or something?" Another one asked.

"Atlas?" He tilted his head.

"Yeah, Atlas, you know the biggest and strongest military in the world? Figured you'd be some new elite force or something with all those gizmos on you." The person pointed towards his armor.

"... No." He answered curtly.

"You a huntsmen or something then?" The same person asked.

"What's that?" He asked. He really didn't know what these people were talking about. Atlas seemed to be a military on this planet but as far as he knew, there wasn't anything stronger than the UNSC, maybe the Covenant but even they were still going to lose to humanity in the end. If there was a strong military than it would've picked up on the UNSC's radar.

"You okay there, buddy?" One asked.

"I'm fine. What is it that you were saying about those Huntsmen?" He asked. Some looked at him weird and he could hear their confused whispers about him not knowing about those two things. He listened to the various people explain about the world to him, from Atlas and their military, to the other kingdoms and their academies. Needless to say, he was extremely confused about the events that had transpired and was slightly distraught when he figured he wasn't in UNSC territory. He was possibly on a lost colony planet or something but even that was a long shot.

He needed to leave.

Staying on this uncharted planet spelled all sorts of problems for him and could eventually lead to his affiliation with the UNSC. If a foreign power even got a hold of Spartan armor then there's no telling what they could do with it, possibly nothing judging by the outfits these people wore. He asked more questions about the planet and soaked up everything he could about it before taking a bit of supplies then leaving. A part of him wanted to stay and help these people rebuild their little settlement but he couldn't trust even one of them to report him to this Atlas if they got the chance.

He didn't know about this world one bit but he would learn quickly like everything else he mastered. If he could then he'd send signals and hope a UNSC ship could pick him up. There must be a reason as to why he's stuck on this rock rather than be in the afterlife or a smoldering, burnt, shriveled up corpse on Reach. If he was alive and fully operational then it meant he could continue to fight.

The most he took from these people was a tattered cloak that covered his body, a map, some food and water to last him a few days, and their thanks for saving them. He didn't need praise for saving innocents, what he needed was to get back to the UNSC so they could get him back in the fight. There was a job to do after all.

.

.

.

He just didn't know how long it'd take before he was found on this uncharted planet.

* * *

**I really don't know what I'm doing or why I'm doing this when I have three stories already. Maybe because I need something else to write about other than those three or that this has been on my mind for the past several months... I don't know. What I do know is that this isn't going to be one of those stories where the Spartan goes to Beacon, makes friends with everyone, tells their life story, and what not. Sure some of those stories are done well but most just make it to the point where I'm like "Okay, Spartans are not that open about their life" but hey... everyone has their own thing.**

**I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say that all my stories will not die, even if they may seem like it. This story will probably take place around ten or twelve years before canon so if you expected to see a canon right away then sorry. I want to do sort of a build up with Six before I start adding the cast. I'm just doing one chapter for now and I'll see how this turns out. In reality, I'm not expecting too much praise but I'm not expecting a lot of bashing. To be honest, it's more along the lines of if this doesn't do good then it'll just be something used as a filler.**

**If you've checked out my other stories then you know the rules about reviews but if not, let me educate you.**

**1\. I'm not a fucking top tier author so don't bash on me if something doesn't meet your expectations.**

**2\. Don't review just to blow off steam or start some shit because that just annoys me.**

**3\. If you don't like the story then please just leave. Don't go out of your way to be a dick and write that it sucks because that's just childish and rude. I'm treating you all as respectable people so the least you can do is treat me the same.**

**I don't have much to say otherwise other than have a good day if you're having one and I'll catch you all on the flip side. Take it easy.**


	2. Chapter 2: On the road

The sound of his heavy boots hit the light snow beneath him, creating a crunching noise. The continent he was in was currently called Atlas, known for its rather strong military. Over the course of a few days and nights, he had learned that there was an evil known as Grimm, the stuff of nightmares apparently feared by most. He had the pleasure of dealing with a few of them. They were about as troublesome as a group of Grunts, only thing was that Grunts had tactics and could change the turn of a battle at the cost of their lives, something Grimm don't do half the time.

The wind blew to the side of him as he walked without a direction. What more could he do other than walk in hopes of finding something? He didn't have the UNSC to give him orders, he didn't have a goal to complete, and he didn't have anything to keep him occupied. He was just... wandering. From what the locals said about this planet, they had never achieved space travel nor even launched a satellite into space which meant their technology was severely lacking. Going to the military was off limits; never in his life would he work with a foreign power, even if it meant he would live at the top. Wearing another uniform other than the one the UNSC provided for him was like dishonoring all that he worked for. He followed their protocols, nobody else's.

He walked for a long time, presumably a day or two until he reached a rather quiet town. People entered and exited it without a care in the world, some even looked at him while he just went by them. His cloak covered his entire body and the hood did a remarkable job in covering his helmet, the less people knew about him the better. What he was looking for was a shop or something to gather more Dust, food, and supplies. Sleeping in the wild was kind of relaxing and it kept his skills sharp when he fought experienced Grimm and some less than savory individuals. After wandering for several minutes and looking around he found a rather small shop that held at least food and water.

A bell jingled as he opened the door and stepped inside, browsing the selection. Some minutes passed by and he had brought numerous canned items that would serve him well and managed to find a small bag to hold the items. The cashier wasn't paying attention and didn't notice him until he put the items on the counter. She jumped in surprise and laughed sheepishly as she scanned the items, occasionally glancing at him. It was rude of her to stare but she couldn't help but shudder around him; it was like a wolf staring down its prey before lunging in for the kill.

"Is that all?" She asked, throwing him a kind smile. In reality she wished that he would kind of just leave, not that she had a problem with him but something about the way he was around her made her feel somewhat fearful.

"Yes. Thank you." His cold voice replied, making her wince. He threw some lien cards down and exited the store, those cards were stolen off of the bandits he killed previously and saw that they were the form of currency of this planet. She finally released the breath she didn't realize she was holding as soon as he exited the store.

When he exited the store and headed towards the next one that held Dust, he stopped in the street when he heard a scream and turned to see a Grimm tackle a guard at the front gate before sinking its jaws into his neck, killing him instantly. Civilians pushed past him and ran from the Grimm while he just stood there motionless as they went in their homes. Some of the guards tried to usher him into getting inside and one even tried to force him inside one of the buildings but was failing miserably. A red blip on his motion tracker made him grip the guard's collar and swing him around to narrowly avoid the lunge of a Beowolf.

It roared at him in response to his intervention but soon found a DMR round piercing its skull. He managed to bring out his weapon faster than anyone could blink and kill the offending Grimm effortlessly. Some of the people staring from their windows widened their eyes when he took off his cloak and bag then threw them to the side to reveal his large figure. He was a healthy 6'9 armored titan that seemed to have two weapons.

Two shots rang out and two Grimm fell before they could pounce on guards, making them quickly look to see an armored man heading towards them. In the span of a few seconds, he was next to them firing into the horde of Grimm. He was a lot quicker than some of them had imagined and it disturbed them a bit to see a man that large be that fast but they were glad he was on their side. The guards at the gate fired into the horde of Grimm that were quickly rushing towards them. Four shotgun shells being discharged and two Ursa and two Beowolves were dead at their feet. Some of the guards glanced to see Six's shotgun barrel smoking a bit before he fired two more shells and two more Grimm fell down. His reloading speed made some of the more veteran guards jealous as they watched him load shell after shell with speed and grace.

He switched back to his DMR and fired seven rounds into the Grimm, killing seven with smoking holes in their heads. One of the guards screamed as a larger Beowolf gained ground on them at a fast pace, ignoring most of their rounds as it honed in on them. It managed to lunge towards one of them but quickly found its prey whipped to the side when Six hauled the smaller guard and watched as the large Beowolf skid against the ground. He suddenly took off while it was recovering and kneed it in the face, listening to the cracking of its armor and saw blood fly from its snout.

It roared at him and swiped downwards but he just leaned out of its attack and curled his fist, sending it rocketing towards it's snout once again. Bone cracked and teeth flew as another roar escaped its lips. Rounds pelted it from the guards at the gate, who had finished dealing with the oncoming horde, and were assisting Six. It roared at them but yelped in pain when he slammed his foot against its leg and broke its leg. He watched its large body fall to the ground and jumped high into the air, letting his combined weight of the armor and his own to slam against its head, making it explode in a shower of blood and gore.

Everything was quiet for a while as some of the townspeople slowly came out of their homes and stores to look around. Soon their eyes wandered to him as he silently went back to his tattered cloak and bag before putting his weapons on his back then slink the cloth around his body and let it cover him again. He could feel their eyes on him but that didn't matter, as he was about to leave the town he was stopped by someone and that led to everyone in town crowding around him, thanking him for saving them. All he really answered was their questions about what he needed. They gave him some Dust, some supplies to bathe himself once he figured out how to get his armor off, some more supplies, and some money after some reluctance on his part. He didn't even enjoy being rewarded this much for saving them but it's not like he could talk them out of anything at the moment.

"You should stay, I mean you must be tired." One of the people said.

"I'm fine. I just needed supplies." He answered curtly. Some looked at him and saw him begin to walk back out into the wild. They didn't even get to ask for his name, all they managed to get was his description of his armor.

The most prominent thing was the black wolf howling in front of a white moon insignia.

* * *

There was a tiny objective on his mind, head to a new continent. As much as he enjoyed the snow, it got quite tiresome after trekking through it for the last several days. He had been travelling for several days and after much experimentation, had managed to find a way to get his armor off by himself and put it back on. This served him well since he had to relieve himself and bathe. He usually slept in caves or in trees that were strong enough to hold his weight.

It was around that time when he sent another distress signal from the TACPAD then continued to walk towards the port. From what he understood from the map, there was a shipping area that housed numerous ships. One of those ships could possibly take him some place other than the snow, it was annoying to see nothing but white all the time. He wanted to see some green, a little bit of red, even some orange wouldn't hurt but nothing but pure white snow was going to drive him nuts.

A hollow blip on his radar made him stop walking, letting the wind blow his cloak to the side and partly reveal his armored legs. More blips appeared around him and had him surrounded but that didn't really make him nervous like most. He had a small hunch that someone would eventually find him, he had saved two settlements in the last few weeks so it would be foolish to think that word didn't travel fast. Instead of waiting to figure out who was surrounding him, he just started to walk again. If these people wanted to have a conversation then they would be disappointed, if they wanted to fight then they better start praying because he would show no mercy to them.

He saw the blips follow him until he was in a snowy clearing, the oddly broken moon illuminated the night as the wind kept blowing to the side of him. After a few minutes of walking in the clearing he stopped and finally looked over his shoulder to see some people following him. Despite them thinking they were well blended, they weren't. He didn't even need to look at his motion tracker to see that they were following him, it was just that he knew they were there. They just stared at him while he did the same before turning back around and continuing to walk.

Their blips suddenly turned red as one of them rushed at him from behind. He moved to the side and equipped his knife. The attacker barely caught the shimmer of the blade before their world when black when he shoved it in their skull. A wet, squelching noise broke the silence as he ripped the knife out and fully turned to see several attackers. The blood dripped down from his knife and landed in the snow with a soft impact sound.

Some of the attackers stood at the ready before parting ways when a woman with a rather strange mask stepped out in front.

"You have some skill to take on members on that settlement a week and a half ago. They were some of the more competent members." She complimented with a mock clap. The air was tense as the group stared at the lone man who took out a member in half a second with no hesitation at all. His eyes flicked to each one quickly as he took in their features before closing them and opening them once more. They saw him spread his feet slightly and flip his combat knife in a reverse grip then standing still as a statue.

She whistled and two bandits sped towards him, each one raising their weapons, only to fall over dead when he brought out his shotgun quicker than anyone could blink. That little knife stance was merely a deception, it worked perfectly since those dead attackers were none the wiser. The shells clattered against the snow and bounced once before coming to a standstill as he continued to stare at them.

Three bandits came rushing at him and he put away his shotgun and took out his knife, parrying the first slash at him before countering it with a throat slash. The second one swung at him twice while the third came from behind and stabbed at his back. He moved out of the way as the machete impaled the second one before he grabbed the third one by his neck and held him high with one hand. He gagged violently and tried to hit Six's arms but suddenly went limp when the Spartan applied pressure on his neck and broke it like a stick.

Snow kicked up when he dropped the body then went back to staring at the group, who's numbers were dwindling rapidly. It set them on edge and even the leader was beginning to grit her teeth. She had seen his armor and weapons and that desire to have all of it clouded her mind, on the other hand, she wanted him in her ranks. His skills meant they could train new recruits and have more successful raids.

"... It seems we have underestimated you." She gritted her teeth.

"It seems you have." He spoke for the first time. His cold voice seemed to have a lower temperature than the air outside.

"Huh, and here I thought you were some Atlas death machine. Good to know that you're human." She smirked.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"At first, your supplies but now that I see you're a capable fighter so I'll cut you a deal. If you-" She didn't get to finish when he started to walk again.

"No." He interrupted.

"No? No?! Don't you turn your back on me!" She shouted.

"I'm wasting time listening to a piece of human garbage. I'd rather reach my destination then listen to you monologue about me joining you." He answered curtly. It was true, he had somewhere to be and she was wasting precious time. He needed to find some place that would be different and the military was after him. Yes, he knew the military of this world was after him after he saved those two settlements. Word travels fast around here.

"You... you bastard!" She bellowed and shot towards him. His motion tracker caught sight of her speeding figure and he turned around just in time to avoid a rather wide slash of her sword. He recognized her sword as an odachi, a rather large sword meant for long slashes. Despite it being a rather large sword, she was swinging it extremely quick. It kept him on guard most of the time but years of dodging bullets, plasma, and energy swords honed his skills.

A horizontal slash made him duck underneath the blade but then quickly twist out of the way when she followed up with a vertical slash. She slashed at him twice before sending a kick out, to which he parried and sent an open palm to her solar plexus. Her air supply was cut off and she couldn't inhale or exhale, giving him the window to send a series of quick, but strong, jabs to her face and chest. When she recovered enough air and slashed at him, he had to hold up his forearms to block her quick strike. The shields flared up and he saw it take a portion of it off but also saw her blade snap. Her eyes slightly widened and he took this opportunity to grip her arm and flip her over his shoulder, equipping his knife and thrusting it towards her, sending the blade deep into her shoulder and splashing the snow with blood.

Her scream made his eyes flicker to his motion sensors to quickly let her go and spin out of the way of a torrent of rounds sent towards him. His DMR was brought out quickly fired a single round, striking the attacker in the skull and splattering the pristine white ground with blood and brain matter. Before any of the other ones could react, he fired three more rounds and killed three more bandits before turning his attention back to the woman.

She growled at him and air kicked up behind her as she rocketed towards him and began to slash at his unguarded parts. Her eyes narrowed in fury when he would either parry her attack or simply dodge, very rarely would she be rewarded with a successful hit but his shields otherwise took a majority of the damage. More rounds pelted his body and tore into his cloak and he reacted by firing two rounds into another bandit, killing him quickly then turning back to the woman once again.

If looks could kill, he'd be dead where he stood because she was glaring at him while putting her broken sword back in his sheath then bringing it out again with a different colored blade. This one was a dark purple, almost black color, and every time she swung at him it felt like gravity itself was pushing against him. He moved out of a diagonal swing and kneed her in the stomach, watching as her eyes widened in pain before he gripped her hair and threw her onto the ground.

She swung at his feet but he jumped quickly then slammed his right foot on her offending wrist. The snapping of bone met his ears and her scream echoed in the night while some of her assailants widened their eyes at the noise. He ignored her scream then slammed his foot against her face, breaking the mask and her nose in the process while breaking her wrist even further. Did they really think he'd show mercy in this fight? Mercy in a fight like this only meant one's downfall and he'd be damned if he showed any to these filth.

He had to roll to the side when a hammer struck the ground next to him then swung at him again. This time, he gripped the hammer tightly and made the attacker's eyes widen before he wretched the weapon out of the man's hands then swung it with all his might. That sickening crack of the skull made him smirk and the snapping of the man's neck made him shake his head at the foolish attempt of an attack. He looked back to see the rest of the bandits shaking in their boots before they turned tail and ran away. It made him scoff at this.

There was groaning and he turned back to see the woman that attacked him starting to crawl away while blood leaked from her nose profusely. She heard the sound of snow crunching behind her and crawled towards her weapon but was dragged away from it. A large hand gripped her throat and hauled her high off the ground with one hand, making her stare into the black visor of the Spartan.

"I merely wanted to leave this continent and you had the audacity to stop me..." He said calmly, too calmly in her opinion. It was like a predator staring at its latest prey before sinking its jaws into it.

"I could've shown you a way off if you would've joined me." She managed to get out.

"At the cost of being a parasite like you. I'd rather die alone than stoop to your levels." He bit back coldly. She used her right unbroken fist to punch him in the visor but widened when he caught it and twisted it with a sickening crunch. She screamed once again in pain before gagging when he tightened his grip immensely. Her feet dangled as she kicked his chest but was met with a metal that was harder than she had ever dealt with.

In a last ditch effort, she opened up a portal and used an immense amount of aura that was poured into her legs to kick him. It made him stumble and loosen his grip on her which she used to kick off and fall into the portal, effectively closing it behind herself before the monstrous man before her could enter.

He stood there for a while, confused as to what just happened. The woman that had broken wrists managed to escape him by opening up a portable warp drive that was about the size of him. His new objective was to find this woman again, if she had slipspace technology then there could be a chance that he could find his way back home and get back to the UNSC. It did irk him a little bit that this thieving, wasteful sack of skin had that technology and used it to steal from less fortunate people.

The wind blew onto his already tattered cloak, which now had bullet holes in it, and snapped him out of his thoughts. He walked to the bodies and took off his cloak and bag before starting to loot the bodies for supplies. It was a shitty thing to do but he didn't care at this point, he did it with fallen comrades and he'll do it to these scum if it meant he had supplies to survive. What he found was some lien cards that he could use to purchase items, some ammunition that didn't match his so he ignored it, some food, and a little bit of other stuff that he found useful.

Once he was done looting the corpses, he went back and started to walk again. It wasn't his fault this people chose to live in such a dangerous condition. It's not like he wanted to kill them but they had made their choice just as he had; only difference was that he had better training than these buffoons.

He was just trying to survive, not his fault he was the predator instead of the prey.

* * *

It took a few more days before he even remotely reached the docks and another day to sneak on a ship. He had managed to catch a ride on a cargo ship by creeping inside one of the containers. That familiar feeling of the crane picking it up and lowering it on the ship is what made him sigh in relief. It was maybe an hour in when he felt the full weight of the fatigue hit him. He took off his helmet and set it next to him before closing his eyes and letting the sweet embrace of slumber take a hold of him.

His sleep ended up being around six good hours and he felt well rested from it. A few stretches and he put his helmet back on and slowly opened the crate door with a loud groan. It was night outside and the cold air from before was replaced with a moderately cool to warm one. He really didn't have a destination in mind but he did enjoy the solitude for the most part, it was like he was a civilian that just traveled for the hell of it. Another reason is if was found by some lowly bandits then who's to say the military wouldn't find out about him and try to either capture him or persuade him onto their side? Not that he would.

He didn't know where this ship led to but he had an idea that it was headed towards some tropical area or moderately warm area. Thoughts of Reach hit him like a train and it was at this moment did he truly feel the weight of the deaths of Noble. All their deaths hit him like a train and guilt started to fill his heart a bit. It wasn't like he hated being on alone but being on a team showed him companionship that he wasn't accustomed to. After ten minutes of wallowing in self-guilt, he pushed those emotions down. They were gone shortly after. Each member beside Jun, that he knew of, was gone and nothing would change the fact.

Darkness filled his vision again as he closed his eyes and let slumber take his body. Sleeping like this wasn't like him but he didn't disagree with the amount of quiet time and decided to indulge a bit. Have to enjoy the little breaks when the universe gives it to you.

* * *

The loud blaring of the fog horn made him open his eyes quickly and look around to see he was still in the crate. He looked at his TACPAD to see a whopping week had passed by, making his eyes widen in alarm. His body must have shut down for some reason and put it into a sort of rest mode from the lack of sleep he's experienced for the last few weeks. Sleeping this long meant he was slacking and slacking meant punishment in his eyes. Before he could take off and get to training, he did an assessment of his situation. In a crate, check. Tattered cloak and bag, check. On an uncharted planet with no way of getting back home, check. A breath he didn't know he was holding was released from his mouth and he stretched a bit before going to the container and opening the door.

There were workers unloading the crates and he decided that now was the perfect opportunity to leave and head in a direction. He peeked over the railing to see if anyone was looking in his direction and used it to spring off and land on the concrete with a loud cracking noise. People looked at the crater that seemed to come out of nowhere and just barely managed to see a cloak disappear around the corner. They looked at the spot for a few more seconds then went back to what they were doing.

Meanwhile, he just crept through the shipping containers until he found an opening and went through it. Pretty soon, he was in the streets brushing past people without a care in the world of what they thought of him. Some looked and stared at his gigantic figure while others just went about their day.

He walked for a long time, until the sun was dipping over the horizon. He spotted a rather large gate and a store next to it, it was a supermarket he saw back in that Atlas, or the snow continent. His supplies were getting low and he had deduced that he had enough funds to pay for a few items then head out once again.

The supermarket had more canned goods and some water to fill his canteen up with along with some medical supplies. He was busy browsing some of the selection and looking at the nutritional value on some of the items. When he was done looking at the things he wanted to purchase, he loaded a stack of them onto the counter and watched as the clerk scanned the items with boredom. The whole time he noticed something about the man in front of him. He had horns.

"That'll be forty lien." The man said. He was met with silence and looked up to see Six staring at him from underneath his hood. It was silent and the air began to get heavy with tension.

"S-sir?" The man asked.

"You have horns." Six stated while tilting his head a bit.

"Yeah? What of it?" The man snapped.

"Nothing. Never seen someone with horns on their head before." Six stated before throwing a few lien cards onto the counter then leaving without another word. He didn't seem to notice the odd look of the clerk's face as he walked towards the gate, where more people with animal parts were blocking. They had signs up and seemed to be protesting. Despite the fact that people from both inside the city and outside were trying to make their way through. It brought a small frown to his face. People were trying to go about their day but this group was too busy protesting in the middle.

As much as he wanted to intervene, this wasn't his fight. Getting in the middle of this meant creating an unnecessary conflict and it was something he wasn't fond of. So in favor of just staying out of it, he merely did something that stopped a few of them. He walked straight into the middle of the crowd and brushed through them. A lot of them merely went silent as they witnessed a clothed behemoth go through them without a care in the world. Some managed to get a peek underneath his hood and backed off immediately. A single sentence from his cold voice made them all go stiff.

"Do not cause unnecessary conflict with innocents... or I'll stop you faster than you can blink." He merely whispered. While his voice was quiet, the group of protesters felt a cold chill go down their bodies and took an involuntary step back when he walked past them, into the wild silently, never once looking back.

The days seemed to slip by as he traveled in this new continent. It was a nice change of pace from seeing all the snow. He had learned that this continent was called Mistral, it seemed to be rich in forestry and some of the greenery calmed him at times. It was a good thing he had stocked his back to the brim in supplies because it would probably be a while until another town popped up. He pulled out his map and saw that he wasn't even close to another town and sighed before going back to walking. There were times when he wished that he had a vehicle, maybe then travelling wouldn't be so bad. Yet, walking truly was relaxing at times. It often made him appreciate think how his life could've been normal had he not been trained to be a Spartan. His hate for the Covenant clouded every rational thought in his young mind at the time but there was nothing that could be done now.

While his mind wandered, as did his body, a small clearing came across him. There seemed to be someone lying on the ground. As he approached them, he noticed that they were bleeding heavily and barely clinging onto life. When he finally arrived at their battered body, he took in their features; female, red and black hair, silver eyes that was slowly fading, a black blouse, and a rather white cloak that was slowly bleeding to red. Her breathing was labored and part of him was about to stand up and leave but a small part of him had put another Spartan in her place, it made him sigh. It was always troublesome being in situations like these, he was a killer not a savior.

Kneeling down and rummaging through his bag, he found some gauze and alcohol then began to wrap her wounds. While it wouldn't heal her, it would at least stop her bleeding until he could find either a hospital or a local town to drop her off at. It took a while and she was barely clinging to life but he managed to stop her bleeding and, as gently as he could, pick her and carry her. She had eaten into his medical supplies deeply and it made him scowl a bit but sigh when he realized he was getting greedy. A person at death's doorstep was slowly dying and the most he could think of was himself.

The last thing the woman saw was her reflection as she stared at the pitch black visor underneath the tattered cloak before the sweet embrace of unconsciousness engulfed her and filled her mind with darkness.

* * *

She woke up with a gasp and looked around wildly. The last thing she remembered was fighting a man with a scorpion's tail in a clearing then losing. He was extremely quick and lethal, aiming to kill right off the bat and he almost did. As she tried to sit up, a sudden wave of pain engulfed her body and made her lie back down on the ground. Her eyes blinked and she saw that she was lying down in a cave, one that was possibly near a settlement. She was lying on her cloak but another one was covering her, it was a tattered cloak that had seen better days but it was remarkably soft for some reason.

"You're awake." A voice to her left said. It made her jump in surprise and whip her head to the source, making both her eyes widen in alarm when she saw an absolute hulking, armored titan sitting on the ground. A fire was the only thing that really separated them and silence had basked both of them for a while. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not due to his armor but was slightly put off by how he kept his gaze on her.

"I suppose you have questions." He said, stoking the fire while occasionally glancing at the entrance of the cave.

"Yes." She said hoarsely.

"Good, because I have some also." He said. It was silent for a while before she finally steeled herself to ask him some.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"A simple wanderer. Next." He said curtly.

"Why'd you save me?" She asked.

"It was either let someone with some information die or try to keep them alive and have them answer questions of mine." He answered. A small part of her felt her stomach drop for some reason, it was like she was just an informant to him.

"I... I don't have anything else to ask unfortunately." She said tiredly.

"Then you will answer mine." He stated. It wasn't a request or a question, it was a simple fact. She would answer his since he answered hers. His questions heavily outweighed hers and they were strange. Every single one of them made her tilt her head in confusion but answer them regardless, she picked up a few things when talking to him. He tensed slightly when he thought he heard a noise, his senses were sharper because he could hear and see things that she didn't even pick up on, his voice was cold and robotic, and he didn't seem to have that much of a sense of humor. She told him her name and what she did before telling him about her family unintentionally.

"Your name is Summer Rose, you have two daughters, a husband, and are a Huntress working for an individual named Ozpin." He summarized.

"Yeah... I mumbled a lot of it out, didn't I?" She laughed sheepishly.

"You did. I suggest you stop that if you are to be in this line of profession." He advised.

"Who are you to tell me?" She pouted quietly.

"Someone who knows how to hold valuable information." He answered. She jumped slightly when she realized how loud that question had been. It went silent for a while as she just stared up at the cave ceiling in boredom then turned to her armored companion, or stranger if she would call him.

"So... what should we do when we get out of here?" She asked.

"Excuse me?" He looked at her.

"I asked what should we do once we get out of this cave?" She asked.

"Find a nearest town and drop you off." He answered.

"Then what after that?" She asked.

"You rest and go back to your family." He said.

"What about you?" She asked.

"Do not worry about it Mrs. Rose." He said.

"... I mean, I should worry. You saved my life." She said.

"That is an invalid reason for you to worry about me. We will part ways after this ordeal." He said curtly.

"Hmm... if you say so." She sighed before perking up. "Oh! What's your name?" She asked in an upbeat tone.

"Don't have one... now rest." He ordered.

"Can I call you Wolf?" She asked, flipping onto her stomach with a grimace.

"Call me whatever you want, now rest." This time it wasn't up for debate. He wanted her to rest so her wounds could heal but also so she would stop talking. She was much too loud for his taste, it was almost as if Jun was stuck inside a female's body and never had an off switch.

She grumbled underneath her breath before closing her eyes, a noise made her crack her eyes open and look in his direction but his person was blocked by the flames. Luck must've been on her side if she wasn't dead.

* * *

**I am back again, hello. I don't really have much to say other than here's another chapter and let's get right into the reviews. Also, thank you all for reading this, it did a lot better than what I expected.**

**Guest: Here's another chapter.**

**Devildoge1176: Here's another chapter for you, Marine.**

**Ronmr: Like before, here's another chapter.**

**Specter343: That's what I'm saying, Spartans shouldn't be that open.**

**Gadget tron: The idea of him being a vigilante is intriguing to be honest but the whole Summer and him relationship is kind of... odd in a sense. It doesn't sound like a bad idea but the way I set up the story, it wouldn't work. Simply because I don't want it to be a story of how a Spartan falls in love and such but of how they have to adapt to their unknown surroundings and find a way back to where they belong. Plus, Ruby has already been born in this story so it wouldn't work out even if he did make a relationship with Summer. Sorry about that.**

**sacke110: That's what I'm trying to go for to be honest.**

**Guest: Here's another chapter.**

**TheGreatSeeker: I'll try to progress it steadily.**

**The Baz: Actually, Six would be around twenty years old. He was in the same company as Kat and she was twenty-two years old when she died on Reach. I'm pretty sure you're thinking of Gamma Company. That company usually consisted of children and had drugs pumped into their bodies to give them the appearance of adults. The drugs also were given prior to their augmentations through their diet for these reasons. I just thought I'd clear that up. **

**Josephi: I think I'd have him more of a unknown anomaly that simply does his business than have him work for Ozpin.**

**Thanks everyone for giving this story a read and a chance, it simply means a lot to me to be honest. I'd like to clear some things up before I head further into the story. Six will not be paired with anyone, nor will he work with anyone like Atlas or Beacon. He doesn't trust anyone other than himself and would rather die than give himself up. Just because he travels with some people for a short amount of time doesn't mean he trusts them one bit, he only saved Summer because he needed information from her on where he was and is probably going to leave her the chance he gets.**

**He may be cold and cruel to some but that doesn't mean he'll ignore civilians when they're in danger. His whole existence was meant to be a defender of humanity and if it means he'll kill any threat that does so then so be it. He's a Spartan, not a confused teenager that feels the need to share everything he knows. Not shitting on other stories, by the way.**

**Anyways, that's all I'm going to write and if you read my other stories then you know the golden rule. So, have a happy fourth of July and I'll catch you all on the flip side, take it easy.**


	3. Chapter 3: Strays

He had found a nearby town where he could drop that Rose woman off. Despite her injuries being severe, she did prove to him that she wasn't incapable of dealing with Grimm. It was more along the lines that she didn't know how to shut up when he asked. He liked quiet and solitude while she enjoyed noise and company, two opposite ends of the scale for the both of them. The only thing that really tied them together was their cloaks. Hers was still bloody from her injuries while his was simply just worn out from his travels but it still hid his figure. They were nearing the town and could see it from their spot on a mountain and a small relieved smile graced his lips. Only another hour or two and he could finally get back to being by himself and not next to this woman.

"Hey, Wolf." She called out.

"What is it Mrs. Rose?" He asked, adjusting the hood over his head.

"Where do you plan to go?" She asked as they walked.

"Somewhere, I don't really care." He answered flatly.

"You don't plan on settling down?" She asked.

"No. I'd rather be on the move than settle down somewhere." He answered.

"Won't you be lonely?" She asked.

"I have no intentions of travelling with another." He said in a flat tone. She flinched at the harshness of his content and merely shrank back into herself. A small part of her wanted to argue but she saw that he was one of those people that didn't like being next to another during his travels. If he had encountered people and traveled with them for a short while then that was fine but he wasn't somebody who would go and seek company.

"R-Right..." She trailed off and walked with him in silence. Over time, her aura healed her enough to walk and fight some but she still needed to go to a clinic or hospital to be back in tip top shape like how she was before. He started to ignore the fact that she was walking after she explained to him the use of aura. Something he considered completely preposterous and illogical then wrote it off as a mutation. She offered to unlock it for him but he simply told her to stay at a respectable distance from himself and nearly slashed one of her fingers with knife when she insisted. From that point on, she stayed at least a couple of feet away from him.

The minutes stretched to tens of minutes before an hour and a half passed by and they reached the town. Both of them looked around town for a little bit before they had found a clinic and walked inside. It was quiet and a little music in the background was for waiting patients. They walked up to the front desk and waited patiently for the receptionist to notice them, jumping slightly when she saw them.

"What can I do for you two?" She asked with a smile.

"She needs assistance." He gestured to Summer.

"Okay, just a moment." The woman said. It was quiet for a few minutes before a couple of doctors came out and began to lead her to one of the rooms. One of them tried to lead him to a room to check up on him but he merely brushed the hand away and started to walk out, ignoring the man's pleas to stop and let him get checked out. He didn't need any medical assistance since he was still fine, what he needed was to get more supplies since Summer had eaten into his. It was always better to be safe than sorry.

As he went to go purchase items, he realized that he didn't have enough lien to pay for anymore items nor could he get anymore ammo for his weapon. He still had his personal ammo but that was meant for dealing with people and he found out that his was apparently custom ammunition in Remnant's standards and cost a bit. Another thing that struck a cord with him was how weak this ammunition was compared to his, it was about as useful as a musket round. This Dust ammunition was so underwhelming that he'd rather use weaponry from the twenty-first century than this type. Beggars couldn't be choosers he supposed.

Walking around town, he went to a billboard near the center and saw that there were little bounties and had rewards should they be completed. As he looked and gazed at some of them, he found one that wasn't too hard but it wasn't easy. It was a simple extermination of a group of Grimm. He read the contents of the paper and looked around before his eyes saw a building that was down the street. The building wasn't too old but it wasn't new either, probably a couple years old at best.

The little bell at the top of the door rang loudly as he entered and found a man sitting at a desk and walked up to him. It was quiet for a little bit before Six placed the bounty paper on the desk roughly, catching his attention.

"What can I do for you?" The man asked.

Six answered by sliding the paper further onto the table and waited for the man to read over it for a few seconds before look up at him.

"Oh, that little Beowolf bounty? Heard it's dangerous with a whole pack of em roaming around these parts. You sure you're up for the challenge?" The man asked.

"I'll manage." Six answered then began to leave.

"Wait! Before you go, if you find out what happened to the last few people who took this bounty then can you inform us. We'll throw in some extra lien if you do." The man's voice was sort of pleading, not going unnoticed by the Spartan.

Six left without another word. He had at least something to do.

* * *

It took him about two days but he eventually found out where that den of Beowolves were. He didn't even need to fire a single shot because of how uncoordinated and reckless they were. All he really needed to do was maneuver out of the way and either stab or slash their throats. Inside the den was the previous people who had taken the bounty and perished, their bodies decomposing and half mauled to death. The grisly sight didn't really affect him at all and he had suspected they were dead otherwise the bounty would've been claimed by now.

He didn't say anything but just shook his head and began to walk out of the den, snagging a few blood coated items as proof that the people had perished. The need for income never really appealed to him but he needed it if he was to get that _custom_ ammunition that was so great, experimentation with Dust would be needed in the future if he was to maintain his survival. In all honesty, he wasn't even sure how the underwhelming ammunition would react with his weapon, it could turn out bad if he wasn't careful or didn't pay attention.

Time seemed to slip by like always while he walked, it was relaxing in a sense. The soft grass underneath his armored boots to the wet mud of the swamps he encountered and finally the river he seemed to slip by made walking all the more relaxing. It didn't take him as long to return to the village, or settlement by some, since he knew the way back this time. It took him roughly a day and a half to actually make it back. When he entered the building with that he accepted the bounty from, he set the bloody items on the desk and watched as the man's face morph into one of sorrow.

"Thank you... your pay is right here." The man said quietly as he set Six's original pay then the additional pay up for doing the extra task. Six took it without a sound then left the building just as quietly. He walked through the town to get a simple layout of it before making his way to the store to purchase some items. Like always, the cashier shot him a look and watched as he loaded the items in his bag before making his way to the gun store. The gun store was simple, numerous weapons on the walls and some boxes full of ammunition, the type he was looking for was once again, custom and required him to wait for the type to be manufactured.

"Oh, it's you. 7.62x51mm Full Metal Jacket Armor Piercing, right? Couldn't exactly find the same material you had inside that bullet but I gotta say, never seen anything like this before, you planning on fighting a war or something?" The cashier joked, only to receive silence in return. Did this man actually think war was funny? Did he know what it was like to be shot at and almost perish or to lose a comrade? Fat chance that he didn't.

Six threw a couple of lien cards on the counter and grabbed his "custom" ammunition before walking out of the door, leaving the cashier in awkward silence. He already knew these weren't even that strong due to them being filled with Dust instead of gunpowder. He'd have to experiment with Dust. Maybe there was a way to increase the firepower of it to match the effects of the more effective gunpowder. From what he's heard though, Dust is extremely volatile if not handled correctly but he brushed those concerns off. His shields could mitigate the damage to him or completely block out any of it if need be.

His mind wandered to that little bounty he did and contemplated on doing another. While he knew that doing another one would put him on the radar of this town, it did lessen the threat of Grimm around the area and possibly give these denizens some breathing room. It also did put a little income in his pocket so he could purchase items for the future. On the other hand though, he wanted to leave and possibly come back another day, _if _he decided to come back during his travels. So, he went back to town square and looked at the bounty board, descriptions of some did interest him but didn't pose that high of a threat. He didn't become a Spartan just to sit back and watch as a threat to humanity trample all over them.

Fate didn't seem to be on his side since none of the bounties didn't seem too pressing to where it was threatening. Some would've wrote it off and went by but Six merely tilted his head and observed them. There were a total of five bounties on the board, all of them having different types of Grimm for the pictures. The locations of each Grimm was fairly close to one another and he figured that he could knock them all out within the same time frame. At this point, he wasn't even looking for a reward, it was more along the lines of doing his duty as a Spartan and eliminating a threat to humanity. Ripping off all of the papers, he took them and went back to the same building where the man had his head in his arms.

It took him a few minutes to notice the Spartan but he quickly wiped away the tears and looked down at his desk to see the remaining bounties spread out. Each one had been harder than the last and he was too busy gaping at the task the cloaked man had taken.

"Sir, you can't do this on your-" He didn't get to finish because Six was already out the door and onto his next mission. While he knew that eliminating those Grimm wouldn't free the settlement forever, it at least gave them some breathing room.

* * *

While walking all this distance proved to be tedious at times, it did help him locate the different Grimm quickly. The Beowolf pack to the North took a couple of days to find and they weren't even that threatening, A large bird that was ironically called a Nevermore took around a day to find and it took a few well placed shots to its eye to finally bring it down, A den of Creeps proved to be more troublesome than he imagined since they were constantly moving but it did give him an insight on what to expect when he encountered more, and the final bounty was an Ursa Major. It proved to be a little less menacing than a Brute but it did prove to be faster than what he imagined for a beast of its size.

His back slammed against the wall and cracked it while he just peered up to see its massive form barreling towards him. He rolled to the side just in time to see it slam against the wall and the stalactites above wriggle back and forth from the impact. These Dust rounds were highly underwhelming and he'd say it a million times more but it did have some curious effects. He fired a round into the stalactite above and watched as it cracked and fell quickly onto the large beast. It roared at him and prepared to charge but suddenly gave a horrifying roar of agony when the sharp rock-like object punctured it and pinned it to the floor.

He went up to it and slammed his fist into its mouth before ripping out a couple of its teeth and tossing them to the side as evidence that he completed this little thing. It swiped at him but he just moved out of the side and brought out his shotgun, placing the barrel against its forehead and pulling the trigger. Blood, brain matter, and skull fragments exploded and splattered against the surrounding area. It was quiet for a while before he placed his shotgun back onto his back and went to the few teeth that were scattered and scooped them up into his bag.

The silence seemed to bring him peace as the quiet sounds of the wild brought a sort of tranquility to the mix. It was nice but it was also overwhelming at times. For pretty much a majority of his life he was used to seeing dead bodies or hearing plasma and gunfire, even the sound of death was welcoming but total quiet and peace... it unnerved him slightly. The lack of objectives or missions was actually mildly irritating also but he flushed it all out after a while. His bag was slung over his shoulders once more in a diagonal fashion which didn't block his magnetic strips before his cloak was slung over his body once more.

Call it odd but the cloak did bring a semblance of comfort to him, it was his "fur" in a sense, protecting his armor from the harsh conditions of the wild while protecting his figure from the inhabitants. Of course there were times when it had to come off when he fought but most of the time he kept it on. His personal musings were cut short when he began to make his way back to the settlement again, he would inform them that the threat was eliminated for now then leave to the next town or just take him wherever his foot took him.

The days dragged on slower than normal and for once, he was glad they did. It meant people would forget about him and he could slip out unnoticed. He had looked at his TACPAD and had noticed that two weeks had passed by since he's taken up that task and was returning to the settlement. Ignoring the people near him, he went back to the building where he accepted the bounties and opened the door. Silently as ever, he retrieved the items from each of the bounties and set them on the desk.

"Y-You're back?" The man said.

Six gave a curt nod and stared at him. He watched as the man fumbled around his desk to receive the pay and practically threw them on the desk and stared up at the Spartan. His eyes widened when Six only took a portion of it then began to walk out of the building.

"Wait! You're not going to collect the rest?" He asked.

"No... give it to someone else." Six replied then exited the building as silently as he came in. As soon as he exited the building, he heard someone call out to him and turned to see Summer running towards him. She looked rather excited for some reason and was soon in front of him, her health had recovered quickly.

"Whew, I'm so glad to see you. Where were you these last few weeks?" She asked.

"Doing tasks." He answered.

"Really? What kind of tasks?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything but just pointed the bounty board and watched as her eyes widened.

"That was you?!" She screeched, making him wince a bit then sigh at her volume.

"Yes." He answered curtly.

"I've been wondering what had happened to all those and when I ask around, that man in the collection building said a cloaked man had taken them all." She put her hands on her hips.

"... Is that a problem?" He tilted his head.

"What? No, I mean people who often do those are usually really skilled." She said.

"I see..." He muttered.

"Well, how much did you get paid? I bet it's a lot." She said.

"I only took a small portion. The rest is still there." He answered. He watched her eyes widen a bit then began to flail her arms around for some reason. This woman was extremely animated.

"Why?! You can get a load of weapons and ammo with that kind of money." She said.

"I am comfortable with what I have." He answered. It was quiet for a while as the two stared at one another.

"You really aren't good at conversations are you?" She deadpanned. He didn't say anything but just looked around a bit before turning to leave then began to walk away from her. As he neared the gate, he noticed that a blip was following him and turned to see Summer trailing right behind him.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to travel with you." She beamed.

"...Why?" He asked after a minute of silence.

"I mean, I still have to do my mission but I figured I'd tag along and you can help me." She smiled.

"That is not a wise choice, Mrs. Rose. You should return to your family." He advised then began to leave.

"But-" She started.

"Think of the emotional trauma you could cause to your loved ones if you had perished." He interrupted. This made her stop, could she really leave her family like that and leave them in such a state? To leave her two little girls and husband alone while she went and possibly died on a mission? She couldn't bare the thought of doing such a thing, she knew that she had a mission to complete but could she really put her mission over her family?

"I think-" She stopped when she saw his figure starting to turn smaller as he exited the settlement. He didn't want to spend anymore time in the settlement and he didn't want the Rose woman following him. He really didn't have a destination in mind but he just wanted to be alone like he's been since he's got here, it was calm and peaceful when he traveled. There was the sound of a goodbye being said to him and he looked over to see Summer waving to him while he just stared at her for a few seconds before giving a curt nod.

There was no reason to trust her and he probably wouldn't ever but she did provide him with some answers, even if they weren't the ones he wanted, she still provided him with answers. She was quite the character but them travelling together would spell trouble that he didn't need at the moment. He didn't need anyone to travel with and she didn't need him for her mission. Should they cross paths again so be it, but neither of them were meant to work together. She had too much to lose bringing him with her and he didn't need her problems on his plate.

Though he would admit, she did make interesting company...

* * *

As time passed by, he noticed that this region was rather, immoral. Bandits and criminals seemed to roam freely in this region and Grimm seemed to be more vicious. He simply stared at the destroyed settlement, walking through the ruins of what was once great. It was a shame since the attack seemed to be fresh. Dead bodies could be seen strewn about and the occasional Grimm would be seen in the distance. Smoke filled the air from several houses and the scent of dead, decaying bodies threatened to reach his nostrils had his helmet not been on. Houses were cracked or broken like simple toys and very vaguely he could spot a mutilated body inside, neither of which fazed him in the slightest... he had seen worse.

It was a shame he didn't arrive here sooner, these people would probably still be alive, with some casualties, but a majority of them alive nonetheless. Nothing could be done now so he decided it was time to move on. He didn't even need to loot for any supplies since he was well stocked and didn't need anything for the next few weeks. Water could be found in rivers, his canned food was stocked well enough and he only needed to eat every so often. He rarely used medical supplies due to his armor but they were there just if he needed anything.

Before he could fully exit the settlement two blips appeared on his radar and he stopped. They weren't yellow or red but a simple clear blip that signaled an unknown variable. His head craned to the side and he caught sight of two objects moving underneath a house. At first he was going to leave but as a few minutes passed by he decided to see whatever it was. If it was civilians then he needed to direct them to the nearest, safest location. It was his duty as a Spartan to protect humanity, even if it's something as trivial as children.

Heavy boots seemed to make the faintest of sounds as he walked closer to the broken house and peeked underneath to see two children scoot back. Both their clothes were dirty, the girl seemed to be dirtier than the boy but their eyes were wide with fear. He saw the boy quickly hug the girl and both their bodied were engulfed in a gray effect, making him raise an eyebrow. They expected him to leave but all he did was kneel there observing them for the next minute. He didn't say anything but just extended his hand out towards them. As expected, they flinched at the sudden movement but he remained there with his hand extended towards them.

Several minutes seemed to pass by before he spoke.

"I don't intend to harm you." He assured them. Silence seemed to bask them before they made the faintest movement and started to scoot towards him, their hands cautiously reaching towards his. Eventually both their tiny hands met his gigantic one and he lifted them out from underneath the house and on their feet. In their eyes, he was gigantic, towering over them by feet and even seemed to be muscular underneath his armor. He knelt down to their level and stared at them from underneath his hood, looking over their bodies to see if there were any injuries on them, mostly scrapes and bruises that could be fixed easily.

"Where are your parents?" He asked them.

The boy went teary-eyed and pointed a shaky finger towards town square, where the Spartan followed the direction and it landed on the grisly sight of a body in the middle. Another direction made him look to see a collapsed house and it didn't take a genius for him to put two and two together. He looked down then back at the boy before nodding his head. It was always hard to see kids this young to have to see their parents either dead or missing, something about that just made him uncomfortable.

"I don't have any..." The girl said.

"..." He didn't say anything but he did look around for a bit before sighing and standing to his full height, looking down at them. "Come along." He said as he started to walk away.

"What about my parents?" The boy blinked a few tears back. Six stopped and looked over his shoulder at the body of the man then at the house where he presumed the woman was.

"I cannot do anything for them. Though I will try to do something for them if I stop by." He answered.

"Why not now?" The girl asked.

"It's dangerous. My top priority is to get you two to safety." He answered. They looked at one another before beginning to follow him, standing on either side of him while he just walked towards the next settlement. He didn't want to go back to the previous one since they had tried their hardest to get him to stay but also the people there were lying snakes in the grass. It didn't take a genius to figure out they wanted his armor, some shady individuals even wanted him to work for them. Actions like that made him rethink ever visiting that settlement again. There was also the fact that he wouldn't dare leave two young children in such a place, he had seen what happens when younger ones are exposed to that kind of environment.

As they walked out of the settlement, he felt a tug on his cloak to his right and looked down to see the little girl with orange hair looking up at him.

"Do you have a name?" She asked.

"Six." He answered calmly.

"That's a number, not a name, silly." She managed to smile, even if it was a wobbly, teary one.

"It is mine. What is your name?" He asked, ignoring her initial comment. It didn't offend him in all honesty, it was expected from a child so young.

"Mine is Nora Valkyrie!" She beamed. He nodded then looked to the boy in green, the young man looked up at him before turning back to the road ahead.

"Lie Ren." He muttered quietly. Six nodded then turned to the road ahead, noticing that the girl was trying to give a smile despite the events that occurred. It was probably a way for her to cope with the massacre that happened earlier. The three of them had their backs turned to the ruins of the settlement. The girl clutching her wooden hammer tightly and trying her best to smile, the boy who kept a straight face while trying to keep his emotions in check, and the Spartan that had brought them out of the ruins and would lead them to safety with his cloak flowing calmly in the wind.

The other two didn't realize he didn't intend on staying with them long, only for them to make it to safety and use one another to survive the trials ahead.

* * *

**So, you all have no idea how terribly sorry I am for not updating my stories. I have been busy enjoying my summer but also I'm moving into my dorms for the first time. I didn't move in last year because I wasn't ready and I just drove back and forth but this year I'm doing it for a different experience so I might be more inclined to update more, I don't really know. Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you for waiting patiently for another chapter and I hope you all understand I start school in about a day so don't be surprised if I don't update. Onto reviews now.**

**Gamerman22: I don't know if I'd add Master Chief, I mean he is my favorite character but I've always had a particular interest in Six. He may do something about a certain psychotic scorpion if he comes across him.**

**reviewer: I'll try to update more frequently.**

**Rookie059: Yeah, I'm trying to go that route to where he doesn't say much about himself, just answers questions that he feels obligated to but nothing about his affiliation, past, or what he is.**

**Lord of Moons: I don't think I would, if I did a second story then maybe but for the most part, no. I really didn't think I had him acting like an ODST. I mean there's nothing wrong with that since they're certified badass motherfuckers and they'll always hold a special place in my heart but I didn't think I had him like that. Like I said, there's nothing wrong with that.**

**Astrefernal: Here you go.**

**spartan- 140: I... actually have no idea.**

**The Baz: I don't know, I think I'm just tired of having all my characters being so young. I mean I haven't brushed up on my Halo lore in god knows how many years, even longer with the novels but literally all my characters are still teenagers at the start of my stories, with the exception of a certain monster, and I wanted to do something different.**

**Guest: I've kind of grown to dislike her character a bit in canon. For one, she's ungodly arrogant, her definition of family is actually fucking stupid, and most of all she abandoned her daughter for her fucked up term of family. I mean, I wouldn't have a problem if they did something with her character in volume six but they literally didn't do anything with her and it really pisses me off. They have so many characters that could be something great but they just end up shitting on them, for example, Adam. He could've been a decent character that had a cool build up but they just ended up making his character annoying beyond all comprehension to the point where I was glad he fucking died. Sorry to rant but they're just fucking up so many interesting characters, I'm not saying I could do better but it's just a pet peeve of mine.**

**Specter343: I'll try to keep him likable.**

**darkromdemon: Yeah, my redaction could use some work since it's not top tier but I do try to make it at least somewhat readable. I'll try to improve on it and as far as Remnant against Spartans, yeah, I'm trying not to make it seem like they're pushovers.**

**sacke110: Glad you liked it.**

**Stormspartan21: None taken, friend. I had to read back on it the other day and I did notice that I kind of ruined the immersion a bit when he insulted Raven like that. I'll try to have him act more like a Spartan than an insulting asshole in the future. About the pairing thing, I do intend to keep that up with him not being paired up with anybody, because I mean they're Spartans. When have you ever heard them get mushy about their feelings. Sure they may form companionship with other Spartans and even some cases fellow Marines but never romantically. On an unrelated note, have a nice day to you too.**

**alertpoet91: Thank you, here's another one.**

**the-lost-memories-6: Maybe in the future, I don't know.**

**Josephi: Who knows, maybe he'll make a mistake.**

**Hamilton406: Yeah, it's going to be a recurring thing in this story so you don't have to worry about him telling his life story or any information about himself to anyone.**

**CheesusChrist15: I like you name, and thanks. I'm not aiming to be perfect but I at least aim to be somewhat enjoyable to read to some people. I'm more of a person who likes to complete their stories than make them perfect. After all, nobody in this world is absolute perfect, some may think so but everyone at least makes mistakes. We're human after all.**

**Guest: I'll keep that suggestion in mind when I'm making future chapters. I think I saw you on The Mantle of Remnant when I was reading it, I don't know. It's a good story by the way so if some of you haven't gone to check it out go do so.**

**Anyways, I want to thank you all for waiting patiently and reading this chapter. Before I leave, I want to make a small note. I don't care if you don't like the story or what goes through your mind, I'm not aiming for constant approval if that's what you're wondering. Some guy messaged me and basically got on my ass saying I was an attention hog and that I was seeking approval from everyone. I'm not. I usually receive some since I took the time out of my day to make a halfway decent story. Hell, I don't even really seek any reviews because it always takes me weeks to check my account since I'm so busy with work and school. I don't ask for much you guys. Just give my story a chance and if you like it then cool, if not, then so be it. I'm very simple, don't like it then don't read it and don't bother leaving any reviews.**

**Other than that, thanks for taking the time out of your day and I hope you all do well in the future.**


	4. Chapter 4: Travelling

It was different travelling with civilians this young. The girl had proven to be quite a handful but luckily the boy was reserved enough to keep her in check, especially when they were forced to hide from Grimm while he handled them. When they ate, they ate in silence much to his relief but there were times where the girl would strike up a conversation. Both of them had been travelling with him for the last week and it didn't bother him as much as the Rose woman, there was no excuse for a woman of that age to act like a child at times but at least these two had an excuse.

Currently, he was looking at his map to see where the next settlement would be when a cough met his ears. He craned his head over his shoulder to see Nora coughing quietly while her face was slightly red. She seemed to wrap herself tighter in his cloak that was draped over the two and seemed to be shivering. More coughing made him frown slightly when he had deduced she had contracted an illness. Ren had woken up from the coughing and was shaking her a bit to see what was wrong with her, panic adorning his face when he processed the coughing and the sound of it. He quickly got up and started to ruffle through Six's bag and grabbed the first medical item he saw. Before he could give it to her, his hand was stopped by the Spartan.

"Let go, she needs medicine." Ren tugged at the item.

"It is not the right medicine." Six stated simply.

"It'll help her either way." Ren tried his hardest to wretch the item from the Spartan's grasp but to no avail.

"No, it won't. Giving her the wrong medicine will bring about side effects. Go get my bag." Six instructed as he took the item then set it down before he sat near Nora. He brought her up then lied her down in his arms, taking in her symptoms. Flushed face that indicated a fever, coughing, and drowsiness. These could be taken care of easily if he had the right medicine but chances were that he didn't. He turned his head to see that Ren had dumped the items on the ground and frantically looked around for anything, handing Six the first thing that looked like medicine. He nodded then instructed the young boy to open it and fill the liquid to the third line and to give it to him. He shook Nora awake and guided the medicine down her throat, while it wouldn't get rid of her illness, it would at least give him some breathing room until he could get her to a doctor.

"Will she be okay?" Ren asked as he peered over Six's shoulder while standing on his toes.

"The medicine will bring her fever down and alleviate her cough but it will not cure her." Six replied. A pit seemed to form in the boy's stomach as he stared worriedly at Nora, who's breathing seemed to be labored a bit.

"So she's still sick?" Ren asked.

"Yes." Six replied. It didn't fly over him that the boy's face seemed to morph into one of worry. He didn't know how to comfort civilians to be honest, he never was one for conversations and comforting people was never his thing. While he wasn't warm to them like Jorge, he also wasn't cold to them like Emile; if anything he was more distant towards them. Though he had picked up a few things from the Spartan II, such as civilian interaction and how to ease their worries, if only a bit.

"Get some sleep. I will stay awake and keep an eye on her and anything else." He said.

"Promise?" Ren asked.

"... I promise." Six nodded then watched as the boy got underneath his cloak and started to drift off. He waited a while for Nora to stop coughing a bit before he stood up with her in his arms then walked over to the spot where Ren was asleep and put her next to him, covering both children from the night chill. He stood next to them and just stared at them before he sighed quietly then went back to the tree and leaned against it, turning on his night vision and keeping a close watch on everything. There was a town that was a six day hike from where they were at right now, it probably had a clinic he could take the two to. He just needed to get them there.

* * *

Nora needed rest and she couldn't do that if she was walking, which is why he had to carry her. She was carried across his chest diagonally while Ren just walked next to him in silence. He could tell the boy was tired after three days of walking but he wasn't, he had to walk for several days at a time when he first arrived here but a part of him kept forgetting that these were kids. They needed to keep going if they were to make it to town and if it meant he had to carry both children then so be it.

"Six..." Ren murmured quietly. He said nothing but turned to the pink-eyed boy and nodded in his direction, indicating his attention was caught.

"Can we stop? I'm tired and my feet hurt." Ren said. Six said nothing for a few minutes before he readjusted Nora to sleep on one of his shoulders before picking Ren up and letting him set his head on his other shoulder. They needed to keep going and picking the children up was like picking up a pillow since both were light as feathers in his arms, most likely due to his augmentations.

"Rest." He said. Ren blinked a bit before he nodded then closed his eyes, looking down at the ground as it passed by before he started to fall asleep shortly after. It was silent for a while as he just walked with the two children in his arms, their destination was still days away and he wanted to be there as soon as possible so he could get Nora to a clinic so her illness could be handled. Tens of minutes seemed to pass by quickly before that stretched into hours and then some. Both of them were still sleeping and he still walked towards the town.

Some hours passed by before the three of them reached a waterfall and he woke them up. It took several minutes but eventually they woke up and he sat them near the shore then sat down next to them. The only sound was the crashing of the water against the rocks and some of the wildlife going about their business. Eventually, he stood up and spread his cloak out before dumping the contents in his bag and spreading them out to take an inventory. Food was getting a little scarce, he had some water to fill up his canteen, medicine was still somewhat abundant, and he had plenty of ammunition. Nora and Ren sat quietly and just looked at the waterfall before their stomachs started to rumble loudly, catching the attention of the Spartan.

"Why didn't you two say anything?" He asked.

"We were afraid you would get angry." She muttered. He didn't say anything but just stood up and began to look around for a couple of sturdy looking sticks before he found some then sat down next to them. They watched as he silently brought out his knife and began to sharpen the sticks for the next several minutes. It wasn't long after did they see three perfectly sharp wooden spears next to them before he handed two of them to both of them while he picked up the last.

"What's this for?" Ren asked.

"I am going to teach you how to catch fish. This is an important survival skill when no food is available." He answered and guided them to the river, where some fish could be spotted. Time seemed to slow down for him and he steadied his breathing before his arm seemed to turn into a blur and the wooden spear stabbed through a fish. It wiggled wildly for a few seconds in agony before it eventually went still and he placed it on a nearby rock. He looked at the two of them and they tried to mimic what he had done. Their clothes got soaked the more they tried and eventually they grew frustrated when they couldn't catch a simple fish. They noticed that he didn't grow angry or even show any disappointment at their results, just simply observed from his spot with his arms crossed.

"This is hopeless!" Nora cried out and threw her stick before erupting into a coughing fit then sat down. Ren simply set his stick down and sat next to her, patting her back until the coughing stopped. This went on for a minute before she stopped, she blinked when Six held out some medicine for her. While she practically forced it down and her face turned green from it, he was kneeling next to Ren and showing him how to spear fish efficiently. Silently taking his right hand and placing it over the young boy's calmly, he guided his hand to the nearest fish. He offered tips on how to catch fish efficiently then let go at the last second and watched as the wooden spear impaled the fish. Ren's eyes lightened up brightly when he realized he was the one who killed it and gave a small cheer before running in the water to retrieve it.

The two of them caught one more fish and he showed them how to start a fire easily, instructing to be very careful not to burn themselves when starting one. He merely showed them and gave them emotionless instructions while letting their mistakes be their learning point. He barely spoke and let them learn through their mistakes, but it seemed they were quick learners. The next thing that was taught was how to gut and clean a fish, throwing away all the unnecessary parts while keeping the parts that could be eaten. While he wasn't much of a talker, to which they noticed, he did teach them different techniques in order to survive. It was one of the reasons why he was so adored by them, he was merely teaching them how to survive. Though they did wish he talked more, for each time he talked it seemed to bring a smile to their face, even if he didn't really show anything other than a cold, calculative tone.

In his downtime when he was serving the UNSC, he would read survival tactics in the wilderness then apply them when he could. He was taught to survive, despite most of his missions being suicide ones, he survived regardless. It was one of the reasons as to why he was so stubborn to die when alone. In some cases he was the prey that bit back while in others he was the predator that killed without mercy. He was always in the back observing his prey, learning their patterns and behavior, their weaknesses and strengths before he lunged for their necks and took their lives.

"Six... this fish is kind of bland." Nora stuck her tongue out.

"I cannot do anything about that." He answered as he tilted his helmet up and ate silently.

"Ren! Can you add some flavor to this?" She asked while holding out her piece of fish.

"I don't really know to be honest." He said quietly.

"Oh... well I'll eat it then since you caught it." She beamed. He blinked before smiling too and eating his piece of fish in silence. Six observed the two of them before he started to eat his piece of fish silently while looking over the map. He observed it for a while before he felt Ren and Nora peek over his shoulder and observe the map with him in silence. After a while and looking at the surrounding area, he marked an area that seemed to have a section with a space and marked it as the next settlement. The next hour and a half was spent teaching them how to read a map and the surrounding area, it was a blessing that they were fast learners because come the next town he had to leave them. They may not have liked it and grown attached to him over the past two weeks but it was bound to happen eventually.

He didn't realize the impact he would have on these two in the future, shaping it because he decided to teach them.

The next several days was spent travelling in the wild. On the road to the next town, he had taught them a few more things to better their chance of survival. He taught them how to read different people and basic self-defense maneuvers just in case a situation called for it. Sewing was another skill he had taught them because he had told them that clothing wasn't abundant and it was a necessary skill for when there wasn't much so you had to make use of what you had. They both had cloaks without a hood but it did cover their faces. He had made them that so when there were cold nights they had at least something to cover them and keep them warm. It was also used to patch up any openings in their clothes should there be any.

When the three of them arrived in the town and managed to find a place and broke them the news. As expected, they started to cry and bawl their eyes out at such devastating news. It drew attention and that bothered him, he wasn't one to be put on the spot for something as trivial as crying. What took him by surprise, and made him extremely uncomfortable, was when they suddenly engulfed him in a hug; claiming that he couldn't leave them. He didn't hug back nor even move but just held his arms spread out a bit uncomfortably. Eventually after several minutes of crying on their part he knelt down onto a knee and looked at them. He just knelt there for a while as they wiped the tears from their eyes and the snot from their noses. He was never one to openly display his emotions, probably due to his lack of social interaction. This was a good opportunity to apply his civilian interaction and possibly work on it if he needed to.

"I will not lie to you two, this moment had been building up for the past two and a half weeks. While I am not staying with you, I have been able to teach you something in order for you two to survive. The world is a cold and cruel place, it is no place for children to be on their own at this age but unfortunately you two have to bare that burden." He said, placing his hands on their shoulders. They blinked tears away and listened silently.

"What are we going to do?" Nora asked.

"You will survive. Compared to the rest, you are at a disadvantage, that is why you must rely on yourselves and one another." He answered calmly. He was doing his best to make his voice sound anything but emotionless and cold to them because when it all boiled down to it, they were still children. He was a Spartan, not a caretaker nor a parent like some of the others and he'd say it a million times more, civilian interaction was not his strong suit, it was probably his weakest if he admitted.

"Why do you have to leave?" Ren asked, his voice cracking ever so often.

"It is something that must happen." He answered. The tears were returning in their eyes and he sighed internally when he saw them pop up. He placed a hand on both of their heads and looked them in the eyes, but all they could see was their reflection in his black visor from underneath his hood.

"Take care of one another..." He finally said then stood up. They watched him start to walk away from the two of them and away from the building where orphans resided but not before stopping and looking over his shoulder and giving them one last gesture. A simple closed fist while they waved with their heart's content as his figure disappeared within the crowd before it finally vanished into the wild, presumably to find the next settlement or town to gather more supplies.

He had taught them what it meant to be a wolf; to hunt, to defend themselves, to make their fur, and even to create a pack in the upcoming years. That was one thing they would describe him as, simply a wandering wolf that had no one but himself.

* * *

The days seemed to slip by since he had left the two and everything seemed to become a blur to him. Over time he had become somewhat of a local legend within frontier towns, helping out with killing Grimm or bandits before disappearing into the night. He never stayed in one place very long and it showed, usually when someone would try to track him he'd just lose them shortly after, either by killing them if they proved to be hostile or simply losing them through elusive maneuvers. Word didn't travel as fast as it did in Atlas because by the time the town he had visited caught wind of a man in a cloak with a wolf insignia, he would be long gone and onto the next to gather supplies for his travels.

During his travels though he had been sending out distress signals to any UNSC ship he could come across by. It wasn't a secret that he didn't want to be on this planet, he figured that he was alive for a reason and that was to continue the fight against the Covenant. When he did, because there was no problem with hoping, he would tell the UNSC about this planet, probably hoping that a peace treaty could be discussed with the leaders if possible. He knew that if this planet decided to make threats with the UNSC then it would be no problem since this planet didn't seem that advanced to begin with and they would simply just bombard the planet from orbit. Though, he highly doubted that UNSC would be that foolish and wouldn't dare to do such an atrocity when civilians are still present, they weren't the Covenant.

He figured he'd leave this continent and head to the next one soon. When he entered the next town that wasn't destroyed, he looked around for a certain shop that held outdoor supplies and was in luck when he found one. It looked like it barely had any customers and the cashier looked bored in the window. The bell above the door rang loudly as he entered then looked around for something. He couldn't find it on the shelves so he went up to the cashier and asked him for a mortar and pestle.

"Wow, first customer and he asks for something nobody would ask for, what's the reason?" The cashier asked.

"Medicine." Six answered calmly.

"Well, you're in luck. I happen to have one." The man said proudly as he went in the back and brought the item and also a book after a few minutes of searching.

"I did not ask for this book." Six said as he picked it up and rotated it.

"I'm giving it to you as an added bonus. It has different herbs and the effects they can bring so it's useful to know so you don't end up poisoning yourself by accident." The man shrugged.

"..." Six didn't say anything but just threw some lien cards on the counter and began to walk out but stopped when the cashier said something.

"Hey, if you stop by my shop again, I'll try to have something for you every time." He said.

"...Why?" Six asked.

"As a thanks for saving the town about ten miles away. My sister was in that town and she said a armored man with a cloak saved the town. Said to thank him if he ever had the chance to stop by. Also don't worry about the lien, it's on the house." The man reassured. "Oh, if you have a map then let me see it, I can mark my place on it so you always know where it's at." He added. Saying nothing at the comment, Six set his bag down from around his shoulder then fished out the map for Mistral, watching as the man had stuck his tongue out in concentration before beaming and marking the map.

"..." Six nodded at the map then at the strange man before placing the map back in his bag then put it around his shoulder again. He left the store shortly after that. That had worked out better than he expected but it also made him leave the continent faster. It wasn't the fact that people found out about him, it was more along the lines of he didn't want anybody trying to recruit him to their cause. No doubt some ill will company would try to force him into their cause or the academies would try to. His main objective now was to get off the this continent and onto the next, although he had to be careful if he was to head to a different continent instead of the same one, like Atlas.

This made him want to go back to the UNSC more than ever. He had spent the last few months on Remnant and frankly, nothing really made him pleased with how this planet operates. It was too chaotic and incompetent for his taste. He desired order and stability, and this world was far from stable.

* * *

He picked up some herbs and observed it for a few seconds before placing it in his bag for later. It wasn't hard to create medicine for some people to use, it was quite easy for him and he usually gave it to the sick when they needed it. He had spent the last few months here overall and it was time to leave this continent and head to the next one that wasn't Atlas. As much as he enjoyed the jungle here, he didn't really want anybody tracking him. Catching a ride on the ship was easier than he had expected and he did the same process as before, hiding in one of the shipping containers for the next several days before sneaking out and onto the next continent.

His thoughts sometimes traveled back to those two children and wondered if leaving them was the right choice. It was obvious that they looked up to him and wanted to stay with him but for some reason, he didn't want that. No part of him could fathom raising two children like how he was brought up. It just wasn't a good thought. The most that should happen to those two is that they take his teachings and help guide one another throughout the years.

The continent he was in was called Vale apparently. It was... different in a sense. A lot more people than what he was comfortable with and more of the ones with animal parts were more common. Over his time in Mistral, he had learned that the ones with animal parts were named Faunus. He supposed that could've been his first guess seeing as to how animals were often called fauna and plants, flora. Walking through the streets proved to be more troublesome than imagined. There were protests whenever he wanted to find a way into the wilderness and some even blocked streets. Every now and then, authorities had to be brought to the scene and had to escort the protesters off the street so that traffic could pass by. All the more to reason to leave this planet.

Understanding people was one of the perks of working with ONI for so long. Reading and understanding people were key skills that had helped him throughout the years, something he was having trouble with these inhabitants. There is a threat larger than petty racism and these people were still arguing over an extra set of ears. Eventually, he gave up trying to understand them and brushed through the crowd. People would send him dirty looks when he brushed past them but he didn't care and started to search around for an exit into the wild. The city was too crowded in his opinion and something didn't sit right with him.

Hours seemed to pass by and they light in the sky began to turn dark as nighttime approached. Lights began to turn on and despite it being dark out, it was still so bright. This city turned out to be a lot larger than he had anticipated and he figured since he was in a new continent, he'd look for a new map. This turned out to be more problematic since everything was closed at this time of night with the exceptions of a few places. The only places that were open were a few restaurants, fast food establishments, and some stores. Food wasn't really a problem but it didn't hurt to stock up again, especially if it meant going back out into the wild soon.

He passed by fast food places as he made his way to the store and glanced inside to see some of the workers preparing food for some people. Fast food didn't really interest him that much nor did he find it all that appealing. Just because he was raised and trained to be a Spartan didn't mean he didn't know what fast food was. He wasn't stupid, none of the Spartans were, at least the ones he's encountered.

Lien cards were still sort of odd to him, he understood that they were the currency of this world and didn't mind that part but the fact that there were several variations in color struck a cord with him. He knew he had enough to pay for food and supplies seeing how he completed the entire bounty board back in Mistral but that begged the question when he couldn't get anymore for supplies. Questions that would be answered when they needed to be.

It took a few hours but he finally managed to find a small time store and an exit gate that lead out to the wild. Medicine wasn't that much of a big deal since he kept himself healthy by doing his daily exercises and constantly being on the move. When he entered the store, he just browsed the selection and eventually saw some things that looked to be beneficial to him, mainly food and drinks. There were some purification tablets that would suit him well for when he needed to fill up his canteen.

His ears picked up a commotion at the front of the store and two blips appeared on his motion tracker, both appearing red suddenly and he turned his head to the cashier being held at gunpoint by two armed robbers. One of them had ox horns on his head while the other one didn't, most likely a faunus and a human by the looks of it. His steps were quick and quiet while he simply went up to the one with the gun and gripped his wrist tightly, snapping the bone as he aimed the weapon up to the ceiling as it suddenly went off.

The man screamed before Six kicked the shin of the other man and snapped the bone with a loud cracking noise. He took the second man's collar then suddenly rammed his face into the counter, making blood fly from his face before his body crumbled to the ground loudly. The first man's eyes widened as he stared at his companion's fate before screaming loudly when Six twisted his wrist with an even louder snapping noise and aimed the barrel of the pistol at his eye, making him pull the trigger not even a second later. His body crumbled to the ground a second later as he stared at the men he had neutralized. All this happened within the span of a few seconds.

The cashier's heart was beating rapidly as he stared at the behemoth before him and suddenly jumped back when he suddenly looked at him for a few seconds before throwing a few lien cards on the table then leaving shortly after, presumably before any of the authorities came in.

Six merely ignored some of the people that were staring at the shop and him before he found his way to the gate he discovered earlier. There were already crowds of people gathering around the shop while he just walked out of the gate, not bothering to stop even when the guards tried to. He had already brought enough attention to himself and didn't need any more.

Nobody really saw much of him after that for a while.

* * *

**So... yes. Everyone I am sorry for not updating like I said I would, and I owe you all my upmost apologies for not doing so. I'll say it right now, I'm not dead nor am I going to abandon my other stories. It's just that College is taking a toll on me and I'm trying to get myself situated first before I even remotely start updating like how I did. Some of you have been asking about Johnny Topside and keep asking if it's cancelled and the answer is no, it is not cancelled nor is Evolution, those stories I just want to get decent quality chapters out while trying to balance a busy schedule with school, work, and this. I don't have much else to say other than thank you for being patient. Now onto reviews.**

**Maniaclnter: Thank you, and I won't have him give out any information.**

**TheFishKing: That'd be funny.**

**VGBlackwing: Wow, long review but I do enjoy those sometimes. I'm starting to see how incompetent RWBY kind of is to be honest, I mean, there are some authors who have taken the entire RWBY lore and made it phenomenal. As far as Six goes as staying Neutral, he'll just do what benefits him and I don't know about him starting his own business, I'm intrigued by the idea but I don't know about it. Thanks for reviewing.**

**negronomicon: Thank you.**

**Zero: He could but not in my story. Plus, I really didn't know about Maria-062 or Randall-037. Haven't really brushed up on my Halo lore in countless years.**

**sacke110: Thanks for understanding and being patient, and yes it was a little sad but I felt it was needed.**

**DoomKnight-6642: He'll possibly find a way to get off the planet. Even if it's just a small UNSC ship that is passing by, at least it's hope that he can get back to the UNSC. Don't worry about him joining Ozpin or Ironwood or anyone, he's his own man. That last question, is kind of hard to answer. There'll be times when he feels like he should lose his need to protect humanity but ultimately goes through with doing it anyways. A certain group of people cannot speak for everyone.**

**the-lost-memories6: Possibly, possibly not. Really it just depends on my current mood.**

**spartan-140: He's not going to meet every character in the story, maybe some and others but definitely not all of them. I might do a time-skip chapter, just to get the story flowing a little bit. Nothing major but it'll eventually lead up to the canon.**

** : Thank you.**

**MidKnightMoonglow99: Probably the dialogue, maybe you're used to Six having more of a personality than my version of him. Who knows, but if there is something missing then I'll improve on it.**

**Rookie059: Thank you. Yeah, I think by the time I thought of this story I was sort of out of that cliche trope where they go to Beacon, make friends, deal with shenanigans, and what not. I think I was just tired of that and wanted to do something different for once, something out of my comfort zone. As far as the romance, some may see it but I really don't see Six with anyone, not because he's a Spartan but like you said, he's already a little less social than some and I feel like it just fit his character a little better.**

**Hamilton406: Don't worry, he won't.**

**The Baz: Possibly, I mean it wouldn't be very hard for him to do so but, who knows? RWBY doesn't really give us much on resources other than Dust so there's no telling what resources are in Remnant.**

**Lord of Moons: Yeah, just trying to make a story that is enjoyable for some.**

**Guest: I don't think that he'd be disgusted by the way they fight more along the lines of he doesn't see the reason for some of the theatrics or he doesn't care about it. As far as him joining Beacon or wearing another organization's uniform, that's a no go in my book. Six knows he belongs with the UNSC and wouldn't even dare to try to go to another organization, even if they are military. As far as showing the cast Remnant from space, I don't know about that, he'd probably just ignore their claims and claim that they're fools for thinking so. I agree with you though, Flat-Earth believers strike a cord with me too. I remember when I was in Chicago one time for a vacation and some tried to give me flyers to join them.**

**Guest: Yeah, Brutes are some of the most menacing enemies in my opinion. They're on par with the flood in my opinion as far as menacing, still more menacing than the damn Prometheans... fucking cunts.**

**matthew116: Thanks, I've kind of been in that mood for prequel stories and writing one kind of just felt right for me.**

**Gadget Tron: It may or may not be the last we see of her, that's up for the future.**

**Lord Demolitions: Thank you, I'll try to keep the past settings a little bit more chapters.**

**scottusa1: Thank you. Later.**

**RemasteredHype: Thank you. I will try to keep your attention until the story is complete.**

**Slim A Loud Prime: Thank you, and I'll try to keep the solo act for a good portion of the story. I don't know about having Jorge in the story, him being dead is kind of a big deal for Six.**

**Guest: I've never heard them take down insurrectionists that fast but I'll improve on how fast Six handles situations.**

**Main117: There can always be better ones than mine but thank you. I'll try to keep your attention for the time being.**

**Blaze1992: Had to give him a handicap to him in someway. I mean he really wouldn't know where to put all that stuff if he had the materials to create it, he couldn't just leave it out. His TACPAD could possibly carry that but then I remember that it was used for analyzing and displaying combat information. Though it is not possible for it to carry other things.**

**Malgrath: Especially people like Six who like to be alone most of the time.**

**That was a lot of reviews for something this small of a chapter. Not that I don't mind though. So it has come to my attention that my cousin has been getting into my account recently without my permission and writing some... less than savory reviews on my account. So if I have written some reviews that are disrespectful, I apologize on my behalf and his since he's one of those people to piss off the wrong crowd which means I end up taking the brunt of it. Another thing, whoever keeps messaging me saying you're a hot single girl looking for some fun tonight... please stop. It's not funny nor cute anymore, it's starting to irritate me whenever I see a private message in my inbox thinking it's a reader only to find out it's someone wishing to hook up. It's fucking annoying when I get spammed with those and I often delete the conversation, so if someone is doing it... stop.**

**Other than that, I have nothing else to say then thank you for sticking with me. If the story doesn't nor my stories don't please you or go your way, then tough titty, I can't please everyone. Anyways, have a good day and I will catch you on the flip side. Take it easy, everyone.**


	5. Chapter 5: A local legend

It had been a while, two years since he first arrived here and there was still nothing but hope of getting off this planet in his heart. That was all he could do at this point, give a little hope. Over the two years though, he had been busy. Travelling across the globe, eliminating Grimm, bandits, and some less than savory individuals who targeted either him or civilians. He didn't know that he had built up quite the reputation for some frontier towns in the four Kingdoms. If anything, he was more of a local legend within the towns. The legend of a man who wore a cloak and did his deed before leaving shortly after, only taking a reward if it was supplies. Some heard him talk while others didn't get the chance to, some didn't even want to hear him utter a word.

There were several speculations about him, where he came from, who was he, what was he? Was he a part of a black ops unit or a government experiment, no one knew. All that some people knew was that he traveled for so long and never stopped that it was hard to pinpoint where he would end up next. Silence was what he was known for, that and a predatory gaze that seemed to make even some of the most veteran Huntsmen shiver. The gaze of an apex predator before it sunk its jaws into the throat of its prey.

Despite it all though, he was just a quiet man. Someone who wished to leave this planet sooner than later. He didn't really have a preference in regards to where he went, some places suited him better than others but beggars couldn't be choosers. His cloak covered his entire body now, it worked well when some thought that it would hinder his ability to maneuver. He was always thinking too. Planning the next move, the next way of getting to the location, and the time it would take. His main goal was to find that woman who had the warping technology. It took about six months but eventually her name came up when he was in a little tavern listening to the different people. Her name was Raven Branwen and apparently she, like him, was always on the move.

It would take time to eventually catch up to her trail but he knew what to do. Just tail the recent events of bandit raids, and the pieces would eventually fall together like a puzzle. It was just a matter of time before she slipped up and he was on her trail. He didn't have resources to help him so it put him at a handicap, but like always he would eventually get what he needed out of her.

He's come across a variety of Huntsmen and Huntresses during his time here, some which didn't see eye to eye with him. He didn't care. It was always him who turned out to be the bigger person when push came to shove. Half the time it was ego clouding their minds but some had more bite than bark and it simply made him react as he was trained. Some he maimed, others he's killed, it didn't matter to him. Overconfidence was beaten out of him during his early days of training, brutally. It often served in his favor when he could use that against them and that gave him opportunities to initiate a fast, yet brutal, elimination.

Some regions he was known as a demon wearing a cloak that scared some people but to most he was a local legend that seemed to take out any threat to humanity then leave shortly after. Settling down didn't sit right with him and he was always moving. The most he's stayed in a place was maybe a week and a half but that was if he was lost and needed to gather information. Certain places he avoided like a plague. The city of Atlas, the academies, and other major places where he stuck out like a sore thumb.

The way he survives efficiently is by staying away from those places and always staying in the outskirts. Someone had to keep an eye on the outer settlements. Although he was only one Spartan and couldn't save every single settlement nor save every person, it seemed to be more efficient than going to an academy and dealing with whatever problem they have. At most they would try to recruit him, capture him at worst and force him to cough up any information.

Shaking his head of these thoughts, he sent another signal to any UNSC vessel that could possibly be patrolling then began to start walking in a random direction. Vacuo was one of those desert regions that often held some less than savory individuals. Raiders in this region seemed to be more violent than the ones back in Mistral. It didn't matter to him, they all fell eventually.

His last several months here he had been busy quietly bringing down a violent syndicate within the continent. It took him a month to find out their influence, two months to gather legitimate intel to bring them down, and the next few going around bringing it down without putting civilians in the way. They knew about him, they knew whenever he struck because whenever he had attacked, there was nothing left. No bodies in their complexes or camps, no way to tell where he came from nor how he got there. Just... an empty camp with nothing left.

Entire camps gone in a single night. All with their inhabitants missing. Like someone had made them disappear...

By the time they realized what he was, it was already too late. He had practically erased their presence from the city and surrounding settlements. The government seemed to have trouble finding him also, whenever they caught wind of him he was already gone. The sad part about it was that he didn't even have any vehicle other than the ships he jumped on, yet they still couldn't catch him. Yes, they knew about him but they never got the chance to actually corner or catch him.

Vacuo was just another continent that he seemed to not really care about. The inhabitants were interesting and he'd say that much but nothing really struck him too impressed. He knew it was time to leave when a squad of military personal had trailed him. While they did manage to surround him with their numbers, he did end up killing a healthy portion of them when they fired a shot at him.

The same thing happened in Atlas a year after he first arrived. He killed an entire platoon for trying to capture him and from that point on, he kept himself even more hidden in the wild than before. He learned that in order to actually survive in that kingdom that he needed to be more careful than before. Though they did have some interesting concepts of technology, it was nothing he hasn't seen before.

Just as before that he'd done countless times, he hitched a ride on a ship and traveled to the next continent, which it turned out to be Vale. It's been a while since he's actually been here, usually the ships he catches a ride on lead him to the other three kingdoms. It had been over two and a half years since he's actually been there and this had been his most preferred continent. It held the right temperature that he was comfortable roaming in and had an interesting mix of people from the other three kingdoms. Mistral was the only other kingdom that he preferred to travel in but the other two didn't strike him too impressed.

The only thing that was bothersome was the amount of protests within this kingdom, they seemed more frequent. Some weren't as bad as others but they all held the same message screaming 'We want rights!'. Didn't they realize that there could be protests in more appropriate places? Not in the middle of streets where people needed to get to places or an ambulance needed to pass by. Either way, he didn't care. He didn't care that racism nor did he even attempt to care. He simply felt nothing towards it, it was like a drop of rain that seemed to pass off his back like anything else.

It had been three years since he's been here and to say things were the same would be an understatement. Some things changed but nothing really happened that he hasn't heard about. Just more protests, strikes, and other topics he cared not for. The outskirts didn't really have that but the city seemed to have loads of them. It was the main reason he stayed out of the city's walls, too much attention that could be brought to him. Plus, the outer settlements required much more of his attention and it was more appealing to him than the city.

Although the city was structured, it was the structure he was used to though. Not of that mattered though, their politics nor problems were his and he wasn't going to expose himself into the light because he wanted to play politician. He decided to stay out of the city since he pretty much committed a double homicide in the previous years. Those robbers were simply doing the crime at the wrong time since he was in the area. Sure he could've incapacitated them but there was no telling what connections they had and killing them just guaranteed that they wouldn't pull another stunt like that again.

So here he was again, just walking in the forest. The only sounds that were really around him were the birds chirping, leaves swaying in the wind, water in the distance, and wildlife going about their business. He looked down at his TACPAD and sent another signal as he had done regularly. Instead of doing it every day like he had done in the past, the decided to do it every two or three days to avoid someone picking up on the signal.

His cloak would move to the side when the wind blew it. It was nothing special, just a brown tattered cloak from years of hardships but it is one that he's grown attached to, it kept him hidden from prying eyes since most wrote him off as a travelling hobo but it also kept him warm when he needed breathing room from the confines of his armor. His armor, he wore ninety percent of the time because it, along with his weapons and equipment, were the only things he had left of the UNSC and he'd rather die than hand them over willingly.

It was the only sense of home that he had.

* * *

As he bent down to pick up an medicinal herb, he suddenly perked up when he heard the faintest snap of a twig before whirling around and fired his shotgun. The Beowolf that tried to sneak up on him suddenly had its skull missing from its shoulders while he just moved to the side when the body skid in the spot he was just in. Blood and brain matter sticking to the ground and making a mushing sound when he stepped in the gore. Grimm weren't even menacing to him to be honest, they were more troublesome than anything. He put the weapon back on his back before heading over to his cloak and bag before putting the herb in the bag and slinging it over his shoulder after he put his cloak on. He had memorized the map recently and knew that there was a decently sized settlement where he could potentially trade with some.

Security at the front gate was to be expected, and all it took was to wait for the guards to switch positions before he managed to slip inside. There was one major street that had houses on either sides but also what looked to be stores and other establishments. He looked around for what looked to be a trading establishment before he found one after an hour of exploring.

The little bell at the door jingled loudly and the lady at the register greeted him warmly while he just nodded in acknowledgment. He browsed the selection carefully and found some canned food on the shelves before grabbing a bit some other items then proceeded to head to the register. The blonde woman smiled at him and brought up the price before her smile faded a bit when she informed that he didn't have enough lien. He didn't say anything and just put the items back before heading out of the store, looking both ways before walking towards his right.

It took an hour and a half to find something that even resembled a bounty board and it was in something known as a guild. There were countless people there; some were talking, others were drinking, and some were even making payments with the lady at the front desk. She gave a cheery smile at the small man that made the payment, presumably a farmer, before she caught sight of him. He was staring at the bounty board for a while before picking up a Death Stalker bounty. The payout was good and judging by the picture, it was dangerous since it was isolated in the top right corner.

The paper was plucked from the nail holding it in place and he carried it over to the desk, where the woman was standing. She had bright brown hair that was woven into braids with yellow-gold eyes. She had to look up a bit since he towered over her and her knees seemed to wobble a bit even in her chair at the aura he seemed to be emitting. For some reason though, she couldn't help but flinch when he put the bounty on the counter and waited for her to look at it.

"Sir, this is the most dangerous one." She tried to coax him away from it.

"No one is taking it, and the Grimm is still there. It is a problem." He said stoically. She flinched at the tone of his voice but later brushed it off when she realized that, that was how he sounded. He just had a no nonsense personality. The only time he really spoke was to find out the location of the Grimm before heading out shortly after, ignoring the looks he was receiving from the countless people in the building. Ignoring the guard at the front gate, he walked past them and stayed on the path for a couple of miles before coming to a fork in the road. He pulled out the map and gazed at it for a while before taking the path to the left. Eventually that path ended and he was in the wild again.

He walked for a couple of hours in the forest until he came across a waterfall that was beautiful had he taken the time to admire it. Behind the waterfall though was a massive cave that was pitch black. He merely walked through the water and set his bag down on his cloak before turning on his night vision. Towards the back of the cave, he could see the Death Stalker staring at him with all of its eyes while its stinger slowly started to raise and glow, presumably trying to lure him in. He wasn't fooled. If he didn't have knowledge nor recognize a scorpion when he saw one then yeah, he would be fooled.

All he did was equip his DMR before aiming quickly and firing a single shot at its eye, watching as the round sailed through the air and rupture the eye like a wet balloon. It shrieked out in agony and its eyes seemed to wiggle around violently before suddenly honing in on him. The giant Grimm was a lot faster than what it looked and it was suddenly on him in an instant. It tried to crush him with its pincers but he just ran and slid underneath it, equipping his shotgun and firing at its middle leg joint on its right side. The leg came off in an instant and another ear splitting shriek echoed throughout the cave.

Its tailed whipped at him from behind but he activated his armor lock just in time for it to bounce off of him. He kept it up as the tail struck more and more viciously as time passed. His armor lock started to pulse more as time ran out and as soon as it did he rolled to the side just in time to see the stinger lodge itself in the ground. It was clear it was stuck judging by how it seemed to try to dislodge itself from the ground. He took this opportunity to place the barrel of his shotgun against the joint between the stinger and the tail before pulling the trigger.

Blood and ligaments splattered against the ground and air as another shriek echoed throughout the cave. The stinger came off without much trouble and its tail started to flail violently around the cave, smacking into every wall it could. It managed to stand up wobbly before he slammed his entire body into its remaining middle leg and listened to the crack as it snapped in half. More shrieks echoed throughout the cave and he started to target each one of its legs while narrowly avoiding its pincers and rogue tail. The snapping of its exoskeleton and tearing of flesh was like music to his ears as he methodically started taking the remaining off and watched as it barely had any room to move around.

The cave itself was large but it was clear that the Death Stalker was used to ambushing its prey, using its size to overwhelm them. Fortunately for him, he was used to larger foes trying to overwhelm him but never this large. Years of dodging countless attacks that could end his life in an instant honed his skills enough for him to easily manipulate the area to his advantage.

As he fired his shotgun at the last leg and watched it collapse onto the ground with a thunderous thump, it's tail suddenly wrapped around him and begun to squeeze tightly. He could feel it trying to crush him but it was clear that it was failing. The stinger may have been gone but that didn't mean it couldn't manipulate its tail to grab him. It was old enough to probably learn that trick and it suddenly placed him in one of its pincers and began to squeeze. His shields began to glow in protest and he merely flexed his arms to give him enough room to wiggle out of it. When there was enough room, he place his hands on either side and pushed the pincer apart.

When it was apart far enough and he fell onto the ground, he jumped up onto its head and brought out his knife. His arm turned to a blur and the knife pierced the tough exoskeleton with ease and he began to drag it towards its torso. It flailed around violently trying to throw him off but he kept dragging until its soft inside were visible. He wasted no time and brought out his shotgun before pulling the trigger several times. Each shell he fired tore a large hole into the body and eventually the flailing stopped. For good measure he jumped up high and let the weight of his armor and body slam into the head, caving it in as blood and gore flew all over the cave. This whole engagement took several minutes due to its armor and thinking of a strategy to bring it down but this was the time he estimated. Maybe he was getting slower though...

He took a few calming breaths before he slid off the slowly disappearing body and went to retrieve his bag and cloak. Some of the insides had managed to fly over to the entrance of the cave and splatter on his cloak. It created a few black and red spots on it along with some gore but he didn't care. He merely slung his cloak on before slinging his bag over his shoulder and began to walk towards the settlement. It was dusk by the time he exited the cave, which was understandable, he was walking for a few hours and when he left the settlement the sun was starting to dip over the horizon.

Time seemed to come to a crawl as he traveled back to the settlement and a brisk sense of peace filled him as he enjoyed the scenery and the sounds of the wildlife. The only sounds that he enjoyed while his boots impacted the ground softly. The minutes of walking turned into an hour and eventually even that turned to hours before he even saw the settlement in the distance. The lights from the settlement were on and as he approached, the guards at the entrance suddenly went on alert when he approached.

He merely walked by them and walked towards the building for a while, only to notice that the lights were off and the door was locked. His eyes were locked on the door for a minute before he turned back to the gate. The closer he got to the gate and saw the guards, the more he noticed that their weapons were at the ready for him to do anything that set them off. All he did was stand near the gate and flicked on his night vision while gazing out into the wild. They couldn't see anything but his cloak that flowed in the wind to reveal a small part of his boots but that was it.

They didn't trust him. It was like he wasn't entirely human and that unnerved them. He was an anomaly and that made them wary.

After all, people were often afraid to embrace the unknown.

* * *

While the guards were asleep and the sun peeked over the horizon and trees, he finally moved after a long night of just staring and keeping guard. He merely went over to the guards that were keeping watch and shook them awake, waiting for them to finally notice him there before ignoring their startled cries. They thanked him for letting them take it easy for the night while he just nodded and begun to walk towards the guild building. There were people already in there and the moment he stepped in, he went to the counter, only to have to wait while a huntsman flirted with the guild girl. She plastered on a fake smile while just nodding at everything he boasted about. It didn't fly over Six's head that she was annoyed but didn't have the heart to tell the man off.

"You should've seen it. I dodged like this and it didn't even stand a chance when I-" The man droned on and Six had stopped listening. His mind was elsewhere as he patiently waited for the man to stop boasting about his feats and move. It seemed that the others were fed up too but for some reason didn't have the galls to tell the man off as he continued to boast about the fact that he defeated an Ursa with a spear. He even named it after himself, which Six thought was completely unnecessary in the highest regards considering it was nothing but a tool meant to assist its user.

As more time passed by, he stood at a table with long chairs and begun to wait quietly, ignoring people that glanced or stared at him. Pretty soon the man left and Six finally went to the counter and set the bounty paper with an large slash through it, presumably to signal that he had completed it. She blinked when she realized that he had returned before giving him a rehearsed smile.

"Oh, um... I-I really didn't you to be back." She gave a sheepish smile.

"You expected me to die?" He questioned.

"N-No! Of course not. I merely..." She stumbled with her words before looking at him from underneath his hood before sighing. "Yes..." She sighed. Her hands suddenly went to her ears in fear of him yelling at her but she was just met with silence.

"..." He really wasn't mad at her, that bounty had been up there for quite some time he presumed and it meant that those who had taken it probably died trying to take the Grimm down. It was old and had a lot of scarring on its body so it wasn't a surprise when she tried to coax him away from it.

"I'm sorry, I just thought you'd perish like some of the others who take it." She admitted.

"I didn't." He said. Again, she flinched at his tone but wondered if he was mad at her. She didn't really enjoy irritating people as much as she didn't enjoy boastful people.

"Well, I need to consult with some of the others. That bounty has been up there for almost a year so we need to go get your reward and send scouts to verify if it has truly been eliminated." She said then disappeared into the room behind her. His hearing picked up various whispers as he went to the table with the long chairs and waited patiently for her to return. He knew it would take hours for those scouts to verify that he had actually done the task and he was fine with it. Sometimes he kept forgetting that this wasn't the UNSC and some things were extremely far back to where they needed to use actual people to verify if a task is done. It didn't bother him that they needed to verify that he did it, possibly because people lied in the past to get their reward.

For the time being, he let his mind wander around about his predicament with the UNSC and how to think of a more effective way to contact them. He usually sent signals and messages to come to this world and retrieve him but he doubted it would even reach past the atmosphere. The whispers got louder and eventually that grew to chatter about him but he didn't really care. He posed no threat to them nor did he want to but if they provoked him then he had every right to retaliate and defend himself.

Pretty soon after an hour or two, he was called over to the counter by the guild girl and she handed him something, it was a stack of lien that would last him a while and a little silver tag. He merely took the large some of lien, stuffing it in his bag and proceeded to walk out but stopped when she cried out for him.

"You forgot your tag!" She said suddenly.

"My what?" He questioned as he turned to look at her while holding the door open.

"Your tag. You know, to show your ranking? It shows people that you're an experienced huntsman." She said.

"I'm not a huntsman. Give the tag to someone else." He said then began to walk out the door. She seemed taken aback by his dismissive attitude and wanted to chase after him and give him his tag but she thought about what he said, he said he wasn't a huntsman but he managed to take down one of the more dangerous bounties without a problem. It's not like he was rude about what he said but more along the lines of he didn't care. He really didn't care about status and was simply doing his job. If she were to give him half the reward then he'd probably be fine and shrug it off.

She preferred him more than the obnoxious buffoon that was trying to sway the silver tag from her grasp. The doors opened and he was back after several minutes, looking at the board once again and picking the next thing, a group of bandits that had been terrorizing settlements for some time. He set the paper on the counter and stared at her, for some reason she broke into a cold sweat while he just waited patiently for her to stamp it, signalling that it was his. Once she did, he left without another word while the other people in the building just stared at him.

Nobody took that bounty because taking it meant certain death. Who would want to take out one of the most lethal bandit groups in Remnant?

* * *

A month went by before he even made an appearance in the settlement. Here she was listening to the bragging man boast about his skill before she saw him, the titan in the cloak that took the bandit bounty. He just went to the counter and waited like last time, waited for the bragging oaf of a man to stop before he put a couple of knives on the counter. After he did that and watched as her eyes seemed to widen a bit, along with her companion, the entire place went silent. He just waited patiently for her to grab the lien and sign something to him. Nobody knew how he did it, how he managed to track down the large bandit group and eliminate them that quickly but no one dared to ask. Judging by the bullet holes in the cloak, he had encountered them.

Just like last time, he took the lien but left the silver tag. The only thing he did differently was bring out his map of Vale and instructed her to mark his map, which she did all too eagerly for some reason, then put it in his bag. She liked him for his deeds that he's done. She admired people who didn't boast about their skills but merely did their task without compliant and leave it at that. Sure his apathetic nature and speech could use some work but it's like he was raised that way. For the first time in a while, she flashed a genuine smile when he said he'd probably be back in the future.

"Have you thought of working as a huntsman?" She asked as she followed him out of the settlement. To be honest, she asked if he could wait for her until she ended her shift and he was going to leave but she offered him information and the shortest way to the next settlement. She recognized his type, the simple wanderer that didn't really like staying in one place very long.

"No." He answered.

"I think you'd be good as one." She commented.

"No." He denied.

"I think you would. Plus, where do you intend to go next?" She asked.

"The next settlement." He answered curtly.

"... When do you intend to visit this settlement next?" She asked, he had managed to give them breathing room for a while.

"Some time in the future. This settlement is more interesting than some of the others." He said. She had grown used to his tone of voice and while she was made aware that he didn't trust her in the slightest, he did say that she was a capable person that should learn to stand up for herself. Neither of them were friends but he did respect her enough as a person to see her as an individual that had a different outlook on problems.

"Well, I hope we meet one another in the future again." She beamed brightly while he just looked at her then nodded before leaving the settlement. It was already decided that they would be meeting in the future. He valued her for her vast knowledge of information regarding different topics and the surrounding area, saving him countless days of walking when she had told him that the settlement he was going to be heading to was destroyed. She valued him for his no nonsense attitude and the resolve to take care of the problems that no one wanted to even touch.

There had been rumors about him, of a man that usually did his deed then left as quickly as he came. No one knew who he was nor where he came from. He was quiet as the wind on a soft night but as deadly as a hurricane if provoked. Over the past three years, there had been countless stories and rumors about him, ranging from tall tales to local legends. Nobody knew his name and some just said it was a simple number, which led to even more questions being raised. Was he the sixth of his kind or part of a squad? No one knew who he was.

All anyone ever saw was the tattered cloak that flowed in the wind, holding a local legend that wished for nothing but to be alone and go back home.

* * *

**So, I apologize sincerely for my hiatus with all my stories. Now I know some of you have been waiting patiently and be disappointed to see I haven't updated in months but rest assured I have been working on them, slowly but surely. School hasn't been kind to me and I've been devoting all my time into getting it up. Some of you have sent me messages asking me when Johnny Topside will be up and I have news for you all, it's almost complete and will be up by in a week or two, I think.**

**I did a little time skip to get the story flowing a bit and it seemed to work out a bit so hooray on that part. If you read the chapter and noticed the guild girl and got the reference then hooray for you, she's a character I enjoyed a lot and I can't do anything but give credit to the person who designed her. Now some of you may think that he's catching feelings and sorry to shoot some you down but no. He doesn't trust anyone and is emotionally cuts himself off for unknown reasons. Now that's not to say he won't form some sort of allied relationship with someone but he's not someone to make friends just like that nor talk about himself. Now onto reviews.**

**Victor John Foxfire: Who knows, maybe he'll shape someone else's future. Thanks for the long review.**

**scottusa1: Thank you, later.**

**Vadalmilai: Don't worry. He's gonna keep his lone wolf attitude the whole story for the most part.**

**Malgrath: Key word: try. He won't though.**

**Guest: Yep.**

**Lord of Moons: Here's some more, hope you enjoy.**

**Josephi: I don't either.**

**Rathaloski Mozsko: Thanks, mate.**

**Hamilton406: Don't worry, mate. I'm not gonna have him join Ozpin or go to Beacon, I've grown out of that trope since I first started and am going to stick with him being alone for the most part. About him being a wanderer, it's kind of the trope of this story. Thanks for voicing your opinion.**

**The Baz: I'll work on it.**

**isco657721: Thanks, mate. Here's another one and the other story will come soon enough.**

**Guest: He might, he might not. It's pretty much up for debate with me.**

**VGBlackwing: No, Ruby's already been born in this. She'd be five at this point and Yang would be seven. Anyways, about the White Fang, I do agree with you about them. Don't worry about the rant, I do enjoy them.**

**Guest: I've been getting more and more lately, and it's starting to piss me off to the point where I barely check my private messaging because of it.**

**sacke110: Thanks for that. Yeah, he had to leave them but like you said, he's not capable of taking care of them. He's not a parent like some Spartans and in this story, he emotionally closed off. About those emails, yes, they are everywhere and it's starting to get out of hand at this point.**

**Marco Geddes: Thank you, here's another chapter.**

**Lord Demolitions: I don't know about that. He might but he might not.**

**Blaze1992: She may have an appearance later in the story.**

**Inbound2: Thank you for that. About The Mantle of Remnant, he probably does a better job at writing than me to be honest. It's a good story and I didn't mean for mine to turn out like his but overall his is probably better.**

**Thanks for the reviews everyone, it means a lot to me. I don't have much to say other than thanks for patiently waiting and if the story doesn't meet your standards or it doesn't turn out the way you wanted then oh well... I'm not here to impress everyone and sorry I can't meet your standards. Also, I'm sorry if the quality of the chapters has been going down, it's a little difficult going back to this after stepping away for so long.**

**Anyways, thanks for that and I'll see you all on the flip side. Take it easy everyone and goodbye.**


	6. Chapter 6: The wolf and the pup

**A couple years before canon...**

* * *

More years had passed by. He had done the same things that he's done in the previous years but still had no luck in actually contacting the UNSC. All he did was travel and take care of his deeds before being on the move again. Mistral and Vale were the main kingdoms he wandered around, discovering ruins and abandoned towns, to even killing Grimm and bandits when no one else would. Atlas he barely visited but when he did, he usually stacked up quite a body count when individuals encountered him. The military had tried to capture him several times but each time was left with nothing but a battlefield of blood, bullet casings and shells, and countless bodies. Apparently, there was a squad that was specialized in tracking him... only to perish every time they encountered him.

There was a legend of him in Vacuo, to them he was nothing but a simple legend that parents told their children to behave. They often told them that the cloaked wolf of the sands would snatch them up if they misbehaved. That's all he was in most places. A simple tall tale, only few actually knew who he was and never spoke about him while others would often try to boast that they knew him to gain reputation. In the end though, no one knew about him. Those that he encountered never heard him speak of where he was nor even attempted to bring it up. As quick as he came, he disappeared into the night.

He mainly operated in Vale for the most part. If he was in that kingdom then there was always one settlement that he would visit every four months. It was the one settlement that had the one girl that would provide him with information. The exchange between the two was usually kept professional but he would usually visit the place to eliminate Grimm and bandits. When most of the bounties were taken and there was only the smallest ones left, he took them then left. He didn't care how small they were, if there was a threat to humanity then he would be the one to eliminate it. Getting paid in lien was just an added bonus for him. The guild girl that would give him information would always genuinely smile at him, it was like he was the reason she worked as hard as she did.

Apparently, his tag went from silver to onyx and he didn't realize it nor did he care. Onyx was one step below the highest ranking and there were only a couple dozen of people that had managed to get that far and most were older veterans. Out of all the frequent members of the guild, he was one of the only ones to actually achieve that ranking and for the most mundane reasons. The settlement was always delighted whenever he stopped by because it meant that he could give them breathing room from future attacks. They still never seen him without his cloak though, it was always on him and he never really talked to anybody but her. Well, she did most of the talking but he listened regardless. People in the settlement genuinely liked him and it felt odd to him, it felt alien and it bothered him. Although he was respectful, his tone never changed with them nor would it ever.

Bounties kept him busy whenever he was in the continent and he often would take them then leave. Though, the settlement that he preferred had the most bounties as opposed to the others. This was due to it being out of the city's way and not many huntsmen or huntresses stopped by. The ones that stayed at the guild were often ones that lived there and used the bounties to keep their income flowing. Some people couldn't afford to pay the guild to post the rewards up on the bounty board but still had the bounty on the board.

Although it was on the board, if there wasn't a reward then people often didn't take it and that usually bugged the guild girl. Which is why she was irritated now. There had been a kidnapping recently and the family could not afford to pay the fee so the bounty was up there for grabs but no one was taking it. She had been working there for years and this was always a problem. People now just wanted the reward but didn't want to actually find the spirit to do the task.

The family's newborn had been abducted and they didn't have enough to pay the reward for finding her. To make matters worse, it was the middle of winter which means whoever took the infant knew their tracks would be covered well. She honestly hated it here sometimes, there was a kidnapping and the only thing on people's minds were money.

She slumped down in her seat and set her head in her arms. A groan escaped her lips at the slow day and she shivered a bit when a person opened the door and let the frigid air seep in for a second before closing the door again. She did the same thing she did every day and conducted her business like usual. As time passed on, she noticed that only one person had attempted to take the bounty but they perished shortly after, a month in to be exact. Bounties came and went, and she began to lose hope for the small infant. Days passed by and pretty much all hope was lost.

The final day came and the family came by to see if anyone had come to take the bounty. No one had. They pleaded and said they'd pay the person who did it but most just brushed it off, claiming that the infant was probably dead. This broke the couple's heart and they pleaded for the guild girl to do something, anything to make someone accept it and save their baby. Nobody would even though she promised them a bump up in their ranking.

Before the couple could walk out, they stopped when a massive cloaked figure entered. His cloak and bag were covered in snow and he shook them off before heading to the bounty board. Silence seemed to bask around the guild and people began to whisper about the man who had been robbing them of any bounties. In this settlement, bounties were the best source of income if you were skilled enough. Everyone watched as he stared at the lonely bounty in the top right corner and plucked it off the wall, observing it for a few minutes before going up to the counter and waiting for the guild girl to stamp it.

Her eyes lit up in hope and she quickly signed something before handing it to him.

"Where is the couple?" He asked stoically.

"Right behind you." She said. He turned around to see the couple and looked down at them. Judging from their clothes, he immediately could tell that they were on the poorer side of the settlement but that didn't matter. He recognized the man as one of the guards at the gate but the woman he had never seen before, they must have either moved here or he just never paid enough attention to them.

"Give me a description of the child." He said calmly.

"She's a tiny bundle. Her name is Myne. Frail as can be. She has blue hair and gold eyes. Her skin is pale. The doctor said she's frail and-" The mother said frantically.

"When did she go missing?" He asked.

"A couple of months ago. She was born this July and went missing in August. I tried to look for her but Grimm always attacked and I had to report back here. Both of us always tried to go out to get her but something always came up... we tried." The father said. Six looked at the couple then at the bounty paper and saw that there was no reward but he didn't care. A child was in danger and no one wanted to even step up, there might have been someone in the past but there were plenty of capable people that could look for the child. This was not only morally wrong, but illogical. He wrapped the bounty into a roll then stuffed it into his bag.

"I will look for her." He said.

"W-What?" Both of the parents stuttered in unison.

"I said I will look for the child." He repeated. Hope seemed to fill their hearts and they couldn't help but let the tears flow while he just stood there silently. While he would liked to have more information, it seemed that not even the couple knew where to start which meant he had no choice but to go from settlement to settlement asking around.

"Sir, are you sure?" The guild girl asked him.

"I am. A child is at risk and is separated from her parents. This will take a while since I have no information but I will manage." He nodded. His voice never changed from its cold tone but what he was saying did bring hope to the couple. While it did bring hope, he did state that they should consider the possibility if he does not succeed. He was only one person and finding a child in this continent was going to take months, possibly years if needed but he would do so. It kept him on the move and it kept him busy.

"Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you." The mother sobbed quietly. He nodded then exited the guild shortly after, not once letting a single emotion slip through. He may not have openly shown his emotions but he did have a sense of worry for the child, it made him uncomfortable to hear someone kidnap a child, an infant nonetheless. It was good that he felt something. It meant that a small part of him was at least human.

A couple hours he left, three individuals entered the guild. Each one asking about him and receiving vague answers but answers nonetheless. They left shortly after getting them and begun to follow the loose crumb trail that he always left.

* * *

The snow crunched under his feet as he trekked through the wilderness. Each settlement he went to always gave him a small bit of evidence that would allow him to paint a bigger picture. From what he's gathered so far in the last week; the child had been abducted in the middle of the night while the parents and older sibling slept, locals had stated that a shady looking man would pass by, every time he passed by there was also a body left behind shortly after. It wasn't much to go on and a minuscule amount of irritation crept up in his body but he quickly suppressed it.

Focus. Irritation and anger led to mistakes and clouded focus.

He continued to go around each settlement and after looking at his map, he realized how far he was from the settlement the parents were at. It was a couple of months away on foot and a few weeks on any other transport except Bullhead. The clues started to slowly come together and by his third month into the search, he had found out where the girl would be. Time passed by and winter had finally started to end as the air got warmer. It was beginning to turn into spring and the girl was getting closer with each passing day.

The settlement he had entered immediately made him go on alert. Some of the inhabitants bore into him with their eyes and his own caught sight of countless weapons on their bodies. Some had rifles, pistols, knives, swords, and even hammers. Everything went quiet as he trekked through the streets silently and only stopped to look at his surroundings and the inhabitants before continuing forward. They all watched as he walked around the settlement before entering what seemed like a bar.

The moment the doors opened and he entered, everything went silent. All the inhabitants looked at him as he went to the counter and waited silently. While they sized him up and down, he was doing the same. He recognized their type, a bunch of cutthroats and mercenaries that probably had years of experience on them. Picking a fight with as close as he was to finding the child would prove to be futile. There was a chance that one of these people knew where she was and he wasn't about to squander this small opportunity because he wanted to pick a fight.

"What do you want?" The bartender asked rudely.

"I'm looking for a girl. She went missing around six months ago in a settlement far from here." Six answered stoically. His eyes would flicker at everything, from the smallest amount of movement from the corner of his eye to the look on the bartender's face and even in the reflection in his eyes.

"Need to be more specific than that. Lots of girls come and go around these parts. You want information, buy something." The bartender said in the same tone. Six reached around into his bag and took out a few lien cards before placing them on the counter. The bartender didn't even care what he wanted and placed a beer bottle on the counter.

"She's an infant, blue hair and gold eyes. Would be around eight months at this point." Six said briefly.

"Hmm... she's in a location but where exactly will cost you more. More than lien." The bartender said. Six watched as his eyes flickered towards someone in the back and heard the sound of a door locking before footsteps went behind him. Six hostiles behind him. Two to his right, one to his left. The final one was in hovering over his shoulder.

"Where is the girl?" Six asked calmly.

"Like I said, it'll cost ya. I've heard about you. Heard some stories about a man who wears a dirty ass cloak and goes around the settlements thinking he's a hero. Also heard some stories that you got a pretty nifty set of armor underneath that cloth of yours. Wonder how much it'll go for." The bartender grinned.

The blips behind him got closer and the air suddenly went tense for a minute. Nothing was said as the men got closer and closer to him before he breathed deeply and felt time seem to slow down a bit. When he exhaled the final time and opened his eyes, he swiftly moved to the left just as a punch rocketed past his head and sailed right into the bartender. The man was thrown into the shelf full of liquor and fell down into unconsciousness. Six then quickly wrapped his right arm around the first attacker then used his left to grip the back of his neck and slammed his face against the counter violently. The sound of his neck breaking met his ears and he quickly backed up when the others tried to converge on him. Nine hostiles remained.

One tried to come at him from the right and threw a right hook, he blocked with his right arm before using his left to pull out his knife and flip it into a reverse grip then stab the attacker between the ribs twice before stabbing him in the neck for the final time. Eight remained. Two came at him simultaneously and he leaned out of the attack of the first one before retaliating by slashing his throat. The wet gurgles of the attacker met his ears as he quickly watched the man clutch his bloody throat before falling on the ground. Seven remained.

The second attacker's attack was blocked by his forearm and he grabbed their arm and twisted it counter clockwise and threw him on the ground. His knee slammed against the attacker's elbow and he listened to them scream as a sickening crack was heard before it was silenced when he stomped their skull. Brain matter, skull fragments, and blood splattered all over the ground as the body twitched violently for a second and everyone seemed to back up. Only six remained and they were hesitant. He understood why though, it only took around ten consecutive seconds for him to eliminate four attackers. Each one probably had aura yet it did nothing against him.

One of the remaining six grabbed a nearby chair and swung it at him. He quickly grabbed it and wretched it from their grip before swinging it at blinding speeds, throwing them across the bar and flying into a wall, where they slumped down unconscious. The five that were still in commission didn't want to risk their lives and took their chances to live another day by bolting out the door. Aura was nothing if the attacker was able to bypass it. His augmentations helped out with that but his knife seemed to cut through their aura. This was a theory he had managed to prove several times.

By this time the bartender was beginning to wake up and shook his head several times then blinked in shock when he saw four of his customers dead and one unconscious near one of the walls. Before he could even say anything, an armored hand gripped his throat and dragged him over the counter and slammed his face into the counter. One of his arms was twisted counter clockwise and held out behind him by his wrist. He winced violently and tried to struggle but quickly stopped when a wave of pain had flooded across his arm.

"Where is the girl?" Six asked calmly.

"Go to hell." The bartender said. All was quiet for a few seconds before Six kicked the back of his knees and placed both his hands on the man's left arm before slamming his knee on the elbow. A sickening crack was heard and the man tried to scream but was silenced when a hand was placed over his mouth and a knife against his artery.

"The average human body holds 4.7 to 5.5 liters of blood. Severing your carotid artery will cause you to lose consciousness within sixty seconds and death in under three minutes. This is a rough estimate of course. I am not going to ask again after this. Where is the girl?" Six asked calmly as he held the man by his forehead while the knife was still against him. The man began to sweat profusely and his heart started to beat rapidly for a few seconds.

"Fine! Alright! There's a mansion about a day's walk that's north from here that holds a large mansion. It's near a large field that overlooks a lake. There's a mountain that's shaped like a dagger, you can't miss it. Word is that the sick fuck in there has an interest in some people and keeps em down in some basement or some shit. Usually pays hired muscle to keep a look out while he does some business." The man said.

"What kind of business?" Six interrogated.

"I don't know! He's secretive about everything and pays people to keep their mouth shut. That's all I know!" The man shouted. It was quiet while Six just held the man in place before weighing his options. Chances were that someone was going to see this but he didn't care. He had what he needed and it was enough. As he looked down at the man he frowned when he saw him start to laugh.

"..." He said nothing but narrow his eyes.

"My boys will kill you. They'll strip you of your gear then sell it along with those kids. I'll be out of this in no time. Half of you huntsmen don't have the gall to finish the job." The man laughed darkly.

"I'm not a huntsman." Six said in the same tone. He bent the man's head back so that he was looking at him then raised his knife. The blade gleamed brightly in the light and the man's eyes widened before he raised his right hand up. It proved to be futile because the blade pierced his hand with ease and sunk through before it entered his trachea. His wet gurgles broke the silence in the air and Six twisted and ripped his knife to the side. Blood splattered against the counter and floor in an arc like motion before he stood back and looked at his handy work. He said nothing as he stepped out of the bar and exited the settlement.

While he hoped it would be peaceful, he ended up leaving a couple dead bodies on his way out. Not once feeling an ounce of emotion when he stepped out.

* * *

For the next day and a half he walked quietly, avoiding Grimm and other useless foes in order to get to the mansion faster. Time seemed to slip by and it was night when the large mansion came into view. He stood at a cliff's edge and observed for the next few days. Days and nights were spent on that cliff's edge simply observing, guard rotations and positions, how much fire power they had, the characteristics of the different guards, etc. He would lie on his stomach and observe through his DMR scope, using the nearby brush to conceal his position.

Lax guard patrols, a large barrier that was too high for him to jump over, no cameras fortunately, a front gate, and a gate in the back with two guards. The guards at the back rotated every four hours. Guards on the roof that would keep a close eye on the compound and would rotate around.

On his third night, he had gathered enough information to finally infiltrate the complex and eliminate any hostiles. His dark armor colors worked well under the night sky and he barely made a noise as he went around the gate and and observed the large gate from the back. The gate was guarded by two men, both with Kevlar vests on with several pouches with magazines. They looked professional and their eyes held years of experience. Two shots was all it would take to eliminate them but it would compromise his position.

He reached into one of his shell holders on his chest armor and flicked a shell near the wall. Both of them looked at the spot where they heard the noise and the one on the right side of the gate went over. He bent down towards the ground and picked up the shotgun shell, observing it carefully and rotated it a bit. He heard a noise behind and quickly turned around to find the other guard gone from his spot. Nothing was left but a patch of blood on the ground with the small light providing the only illumination.

"What the hell?" He muttered as he approached the spot. As he bent down to look at the blood splatter, he didn't sense the massive figure behind him. The moment he stood up, a pair of hands grabbed him by his head and one of them was placed against his mouth. He struggled while dangling in the air and gave a choking noise when his air flow began to slowly leave him. His body suddenly went limp when the hand on his mouth twisted to the left and broke his neck with a crack.

Six let the body dangle in his arms for a few seconds before carrying it to the brush and concealing it next to the previous one. He searched the bodies for a key before eventually finding one on the second guard he killed then went back to the gate. He picked up his shotgun shell that he used as a diversion then went to the gate and stuck the key in the lock. The lock clicked open and was thrown to the side before he entered and shut the door shortly after. He peered around and looked up at the guard that was starting to look at the gate. He reached in towards his torso and threw a disposable throwing knife at blinding speeds. The knife sailed through the air with a small whistling noise before it entered between the guard's eyes.

The body stumbled forward a bit before spinning off the side of the building. Six quickly rushed up to the falling corpse and intercepted its impact from the ground before anyone could hear. He set the body down in the bushes then peeked inside the window, seeing a dimly lit hallway before ducking when the lights flicked on. He barely peeked over to see an older man with a maid walk down the stairs and walk around the corner.

Two guards were approaching the side of the house and he quickly hid at the corner and watched as they passed by him, not noticing him until the last second. They only turned around because they felt something behind them but he already had his hands on each of their mouths before twisting their necks. Two loud cracks were heard and he dragged both bodies near the bushes closest to the house and threw them there, out of sight from anyone. He looked up when he heard the other guard call out to the first one.

He peered inside the house and saw a guard go on alert and start to head outside. The spot he was in was currently vacant when the guard rounded the corner. He saw three bodies in the bushes and begun to radio it in before he stopped when another body from the roof land on top of him. His eyes widened when the second guard on the roof was on top of him, neck broken at an unsightly angle. As he pushed the body off of him, his eyes widened when a massive dark figure descended upon him then planted their heel in the side of his neck when he tried to roll out of the way.

Six lifted his foot then picked up the body before disposing of it elsewhere, before repeating the same process with the other three bodies. Once he was certain the bodies were well hidden and out of sight; he then proceeded to find a way inside. It took several minutes but he eventually found a cellar door on the side of the house that was well hidden. There was a lock on the handles but it was snapped easily by his hands then thrown to the side. He entered the tunnel and equipped his shotgun. The deeper he went, the more noises he heard and he quickly came at a four way split.

He heard voices ahead of him and saw four guards make their way towards him, this made him take cover around the corner to his right and wait for them to pass by before he sprung on them. The one closest to him suddenly found a knife in their throat while the second one was kicked in the stomach and thrown into the corner of the wall. He flinched slightly when the third one aimed their gun at him and fired. Taking their shock at his shields reacting, he quickly gripped their neck and spun them on the ground before twisting their arm. The snapping of the bone and a scream met his ears. They were still holding onto their gun and he bent their wrist so the weapon was at the fourth person and quickly used his finger to squeeze the trigger. Gunfire echoed throughout the hallway and the fourth guard's aura quickly fell and his body started to be riddled with bloody holes. He slumped against the wall and quickly slid to the side before succumbing to his wounds shortly after. This happened within several seconds, ten at the most.

He needed to work on that. More training would be required, possibly against more experienced foes.

Six brought out his shotgun and aimed it against the third guard's chest before pulling the trigger. Blood splattered against the wall and he did the same with the second guard, killing them mercilessly before continuing down the hallway. He heard the sound of boots stampeding down the hall and he equipped his DMR before aiming it forward. Three guards fell after he fired three rounds while the rest took cover around the corner. One of them peeked around the corner and the rest watched as his head jerked back violently when the round entered it before the body fell to the ground.

Six looked around the corner before looking around then slowly started to creep further down the hallway.

The guards behind the corner were making up a plan, trying to find out a way to flush him out when the power suddenly shut off. It sounded like something had detonated near the fuse box and everyone was suddenly thrown into darkness. They heard boots impact the ground and they all suddenly went out around the corner and opened fire when they saw him activate his armor lock and illuminate the hallway. Countless rounds were fired quickly at him while he was in armor lock and just as quickly as they were fired, they ended. Half a second later the ability disengaged and the EMP burst, throwing the guards into darkness once more.

Heavy breathing was heard from each of the guards and their hearts started to beat rapidly. The beats eventually turned to pounding in the chests and their hearts leaped into their throats when they heard a wet gurgle and the sound of a body dropping. They turned around and started to fire, their muzzle flashes being the only small sense of illumination in the dark hallway. Every time one of them fired, Six got closer with a new body in his grasp and knife raised. The last person saw death in the form of a giant and decided to try and take their chances and run away from the carnage.

"This wasn't part of the deal. This wasn't part of the fucking deal!" He panicked. As he ran down the hallway and saw the cellar door that led outside, he suddenly collapsed when two rounds entered the back of his knees. A scream of pain escaped his lips as he began to crawl towards the door. Blood seeped from his legs as he dragged himself slowly towards the only hope of salvation.

'How the hell did that thing bypass our aura? What the hell was he using?" He thought in agony. The hallway was dark but he could faintly see the giant that slaughtered the others approaching him. Heavy boots echoed throughout the halls of the basement and it made him drag himself faster and he reached the stairs. His hands gripped each step tightly and he had started to drag himself up but felt an iron grip grab his leg and bring him back down into the darkness. Terror filled his heart and he felt like his heart was going to explode from how hard it was beating.

"What business is your superior conducting here?" Six asked as he flipped he man around and gripped his neck, slowly lifting him up with one hand off the ground.

"H-He's finding kids around Remnant that would fit his preferences. Said something about creating the perfect family." The man choked.

"Where is the infant girl?" Six asked as he brought the man closer to his helmet and watched his eyes widen in terror.

"The new blood? She's upstairs in the mansion on the third floor. Take a left when you reach the top of the stairs and you'll see the room at the end of the hall. Chances are he already knows you're here since one of us radioed it in." The man answered.

"What else is down here?" Six questioned.

"That's all I know-" The man stopped when Six placed his knife against the knee wound and begun to slowly dig it around.

"What else is down here?" Six asked again.

"Fine! Fuck! The boss has a lab down here. He's supplying some of the rich with some premium shit, something about enhancing their aura. Sells it to cutthroats that need it for their jobs in exchange for hired muscle. Last I heard, he sold it to some big wigs over it Atlas." The guard choked out when Six tightened his grip on his throat.

"..." Nothing was said from the Spartan as he just considered what to do with the man.

"Listen man, I told you everything you want and what I know. You gotta let me go. Please!" The guard pleaded out hoarsely. Six stared at the man before placing his right hand on the back of his head then proceeded to slam his head into the first step, shattering the strong wood and breaking it in half. Blood and splinters impacted his helmet and his hand rested on the guard's skull before he let go. A pool of blood started to form around the body as he looked down at it.

Swiftly turning around, he searched the tunnels and eventually found a lab of some sort, various chemicals were stacked neatly on shelves and he gazed around it for a few seconds. He spotted a large box of powdered fire Dust on one of the shelves and stuck his knife in the crack, breaking it open then proceeded to pour some of it all over the lab. When that was finished, he started to make a trail out into the hallway and leading up the stairs. It glowed dimly and he opened the cellar door and left a small trail that wrapped around and eventually led to the front door. The box was thrown to the side carelessly and he equipped his shotgun before forcing the door open.

His ears picked up a noise to his right and he quickly aimed his shotgun at the assailant but lowered it slightly when he saw that it was a maid. She seemed terrified and was shaking horribly in her uniform at the sight of him. He didn't say anything but just gestured for her to leave with his weapon, quickly too. She scrambled past him and outside while he just cautiously ascended the stairs. His eyes darted at the smallest hint of movement while his ears were constantly picking up sounds. There was the sound of crying. He picked up the sound of a female and a male yelling, presumably another maid and the owner of the mansion.

When he reached the top of the stairs, he went left and proceeded down the hall to come across the last room at the hall. Listening closely to the door, it was indeed the owner and a maid, with the child in the room. It barely took any strength to kick the door down. The wooden barrier between them was suddenly vacant as it splintered a bit and spun around once before falling to the ground with a loud crash.

He saw the old man suddenly grip the child and hold her close to him while holding a knife to her throat. This was his mission, retrieve the child and bring it back to the family safe and sound. Her characteristics checked out; blue hair like the sky, golden eyes, and pale skin. He could immediately tell that she was frail judging by how small she was and it made him uncomfortable to hear her crying.

The maid panicked and tried to wrestle the child out of his grasp but he quickly backhanded her with his armed hand and cut her eye with the knife. She screamed loudly and fell on the floor while clutching the wound tightly as blood seeped between her fingers. While the man was busy doing that, Six equipped his DMR and aimed it, firing a single shot that cracked loudly within the house and entered the man's eye. The squelching of the vision organ was soon followed by the cracking of bone as it soon entered his skull and exited. Blood splattered against the wall and the body started to fall.

Faster than a normal human could react, Six gripped the child and hoisted her from the deceased man's grasp as his body tumbled to the ground. Crying met his ears and he winced at the unpleasant sound before setting the child in the crib and going to the injured woman. When she saw him approach, she started to throw back up and throw items at him that did nothing but he still continued.

"Stop." He said evenly. Almost instantly she did while he had her take her hand off the wound before putting it back on. He reached into one of his pouches and retrieved an eye pad for her damaged eye then wrapped some gauze around her head.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked, wincing when the material irritated her fresh wound.

"You are a civilian in the situation." He answered curtly. It was silent for several seconds before she spoke up.

"... Are you here to get her out of here?" She asked as she looked towards the crib.

"..." He nodded then began to stand up and look around for something to carry the baby in. He couldn't just carry her in his arms this whole time, that would prove to be troublesome if they were to be attacked.

"Please keep her safe." She pleaded.

"..." He nodded once again and looked around for something, anything that could benefit him.

"We have a crib from Atlas, it uses gravity Dust to suspend it in the air. I'm guessing it was for something but we had it tested out on one of the... others..." She trailed off as she fished in the closet and brought out a box.

"Others? There are more?" Six asked.

"Not anymore. He sold them a while ago. No matter how much we pleaded and begged him, he didn't care and just made the transaction. That's all these children are to him, paychecks." She bit.

"I see..." He said quietly. He didn't have anything to go on from that. As much as he wanted to retrieve those kids, he couldn't. He didn't have the resources of the UNSC nor ONI. He was just one Spartan on this planet and he couldn't be everywhere at once. The realistic part of him had taken over and he mulled over the fact that there was nothing he could do for those children that were sold. The only reason he had done this bounty was he had a tiny amount of information, a little bit was better than nothing. It took months but he found the child and it would take months to get back.

He helped her take the mobile crib out of the box. The gravity Dust in there suddenly activated when she turned it on the the round crib opened up to reveal a soft blanket and pillow inside. She pushed it towards him and he held it in the air before rotating it and taking in all its details. In the back was a little port where he saw a crystal, presumably the Dust that suspended it in the air. He pressed a button and watched the sides open up a bit before a cover seemed to close over the small crib, possibly sealing anything that was in it away.

"How long does it need to be replaced?" He asked.

"The Dust needs to be replaced every few weeks, two to three to be exact. It'll follow you so long as you have the the beacon on you." She informed. He watched as she went in the hallway and went into another room before handing him a case, most of the slots were full with gravity Dust which proved to be beneficial. The next thing she explained was what the child needed; constant attention, medicine, food and water, and to be changed. He already knew that she was weak but this brought up several problems. If he wasn't good at interacting with civilians outside of a professional conversation, how was he supposed to take care of a eight month old?

The two adults then proceeded to gather supplies and stuff them in a bag before he told her about a settlement that was half a day's walk to the east of the mansion where she could get her eye examined. She thanked him profusely for setting her free before she left the room and the mansion after gathering supplies. He stood there for a few seconds before noticing that it was quiet and looked inside the crib to see Myne looking at him while gnawing on her fist. Her spit soaked hand was raised at him and he sighed before picking her up gently and setting her inside the levitating crib.

The bag of supplies was attached to the back of the levitating crib and it started to follow him as he walked downstairs. Her eyes peered at everything as they walked outside into the dark and he headed into the brush, closing the cover doors on the crib to avoid any sticks from hitting her face. Several minutes went by and the two of them reached the cliff where his cloak and bag were located, overlooking the mansion. The DMR was equipped and he replaced his personal rounds with fire ones and reloaded. He carefully took aim at the trail and fired.

Soon after the crack was heard, he watched through his scope as the trail ignited and the fire began to spread into the basement. When the fire finally reached the lab, it reacted with the countless dust and chemicals down there before exploding once. It then created a chain of explosions that blew out the basement before it spread to the mansion and destroyed it in a large explosion.

The two of them watched the illumination of the explosion from the cliff. His visor reflecting the aftermath while her eyes seemed to shine a bit before pieces of the mansion fell from the sky. He wordlessly bent down and threw his cloak over his shoulders then put his bag on shortly after before beginning the trek back to the settlement.

He had an a child to deliver back to their family while she had a wolf to keep her safe.

* * *

**Here I am with another chapter of this story. Now while it may seem like nothing is really happening at the moment, I want to flesh the backstory part of Six out a bit before I actually hit canon. Other words, thanks for reading up until this point and being patient. Now onto reviews.**

**luxoray: Yeah, something came up and had to re-post the chapter.**

**Soggy Socks 117: Bingo, thinking about giving her a name though.**

**Josephi: That actually made me laugh for like, five minutes.**

**sacke110: Yeah. So most of the people that read the story enjoy that aspect of him wandering. I mean sure it's interesting to see countless stories where the protagonist joins Beacon but that trope started to fade on me by the time I made Johnny Topside and this story.**

**VGBlackwing: Wow, long review like always but I enjoy reading those. Yeah, in this story Six doesn't really talk a lot and when he does it's usually to find information. He's not some shy adolescent that can't hold a conversation because he does know how to hold one but he just doesn't feel like talking half the time. He's more into observation than anything.**

**Lord Demolitions: By this time they would be too old for me to do that. Plus, I am going with the AU where Six saved her.**

**Golden Nova: I mean yeah, but I'd rather flesh out the story as I stated above a little bit more. I'm not too keen on jumping right into canon anymore. Jumping right into canon without any build up for the character leaves a bad taste in my mouth now. Basically what I'm trying to say is I don't feel like rushing this. If you want though, you may skip the next chapter and I wouldn't even feel bad.**

**Mortarion The Death Lord: Affirmative. Thanks for the review, appreciate it.**

**Malgrath: He's making moves but can't seem to pin point where Six will end up. Six just wanders around Remnant without a direction half the time. Some cases he will visit the same settlement or settlement twice or he'll travel to a new continent. Plus, people rarely hear him speak and you can't exactly pin point someone that could be passed off as a hobo half the time.**

**DivineWhiskey: I'll do a time skip for the chapters but Six won't have an aura.**

**MarauderPrime12: Thank you.**

**bigbossHayden98: Probably not, don't know.**

**scottusa1: Thank you, laters.**

**Somerandomperson: I usually don't say it unless I'm sure.**

**Guest: Whoa, slow the roll there pal. He was just giving me a suggestion. No need for that hostility.**

**The Lone Swordswolf: Glad you stopped by.**

**NotXeno: Some do, some don't.**

**the-lost-memories6: Thank you.**

**Gamerman22: I'll think about it.**

**Blaze1992: Something will happen next chapter, plus it was hinted in this one.**

**The Baz: Probably.**

**Dual Beast Hunt: Bingo.**

**Chipsyboy: I don't know.**

**Lord of Moons: There's a lot about the Spartan armor over the years. Some sources say that it has unlimited power source from the fusion reactors located in it while some say something else. About the aging thing, I think they age slower than us. I mean, Chief is what, like 47 at this point. Technically, he's probably around 43 years old since he spent four years in cryosleep but realistically he's 47. I'm heading off topic. How long do they live? Maybe the average human if not a little longer? I don't know, it'd be nice to see what it would be like for the average Spartan life span.**

**So that's it for now. Might be a while before I post a new chapter for any of my stories since I start classes soon but I appreciate the love and support so far with this. If the chapter doesn't appeal to you and it doesn't go your way then... tough titty. I said it before and I'll say it yet again. I'm not here to impress everybody. Mistakes are part of the learning process with stories and I'd rather learn from my mistakes and improve upon them than continue to make them because I want to bend to everybody's will. This is my story and I'll write it how I want and make my own mistakes.**

**Don't have much to say other than be respectful to each other out there and I will catch you all on the flip side. Take it easy.**


	7. Chapter 7: Reuniting the taken

The two of them traveled for a while. He constantly kept a vigilant eye out for any danger while she just cruised along in the levitating crib. Her eyes constantly soaked up anything that caught her attention and he kept an eye on her progress. She was at that age where she could sit up on her own and several times he had to guide her back down when she would lean forward and threaten to fall out of the crib. They drew eyes whenever the two of them stopped in a settlement for him to take a job and replenish his supplies. He trusted no one around her and constantly kept her in a bird's eye view. He could drop her off to the authorities but there was no way to monitor her status. For all he knew she could have been taken back to the same crime ring that she was kidnapped into. Call it paranoia but he didn't exactly trust anyone or anything on this planet. He wasn't taking any chances.

They were near a river and he spread his cloak out before taking all of his armor off. It needed to be cleaned and maintained carefully. He always had a spare set of clothes just in case he needed to get out of his armor and this proved to be one of those times. The moss colored multi pocket pants were tucked into his black boots while his black shirt hugged his torso. His skin was a little pale from the lack of sunlight he's received lately while his mop of black hair was in need of a hair cut soon. Scars on his forearms from his early training days made him stare at them for a few seconds before he went back to cleaning his gear.

Scars often reminded him that he was a survivor down inside.

His hands dipped inside the cool river water and splashed against his face, making him sigh quietly in relief when it soothed him a bit. He went back to his spread out cloak and grabbed the canteen then dunked it underneath the water, watching as the bubbles made their way to the surface. Once it was filled, he went back over to the cloth and grabbed a water purifier tablet then dropped it in, twisting the cap on and shaking it a few times. After several seconds to a minute of shaking, he swished it around then drank some of it for a few seconds before picking Myne out of her crib and tilting the canteen gently. Some of the water spilled from the corner of her mouth but eventually she got her fill.

He didn't know if he was doing a good job of taking care of her but he was keeping her alive and healthy so that meant he was at least doing the bare minimum. To him, this was a learning curve when dealing with civilians so young. It gave him experience and would assist him in the future just in case something like this came up again. Setting the canteen down and throwing her over his shoulder, he sat down cross legged then set her down next to his right while he pulled up a map. Naturally, she was curious and proceeded to grab the first thing that was in her reach. His dog tags. She stuck it in her mouth and began to gnaw at it. He saw this then gently pried it from her hands before placing it around his neck, using his shirt to wipe away the drool.

"It's not a toy." He said calmly. She wobbled in place for a few seconds before falling over onto his knee, making him sigh and gently pick her up then place her on his lap. This proved to be more troublesome than he imagined. He had barely set her down and she already fell over, it was to be expected though. The parents did say that she was frail so he couldn't get agitated at the fact. Usually when she slept, she slept like a rock and barely made a noise.

The next settlement was going to be around a day's walk from their current position and it was one step closer to the settlement. Bounties were considerably harder to do now that the child in front of him was an added factor. While he dealt with the job, sometimes that lasted days, he often had to push her out of harm's way so he could have more leg room. Still no signal from any UNSC vessel that could retrieve him, every time he sent that signal and received nothing; a little bit of hope within him died. He had been trying for years yet could not reach out. There was a chance that the Covenant was still at large.

All his thoughts were interrupted when he heard whining from the girl in his lap and he looked down to see her eyes start to water. How troublesome she was at times. He didn't play with her because he didn't feel the need to. Countless parents across the settlements the two of them encountered had given him tips on how to care for her and it proved to be helpful since she's not dead in his care. A cry escaped her lips and made him frown before plucking her off his lap and turning her to face him. She dangled in the air and looked at him with watery eyes while he just sighed when he heard the faint growling from her stomach.

Before he could grab the food for her, a twig snapped to his right and he quickly tucked her into him then rolled backwards when a Beowolf lunged at them. It roared at them and it lunged again at a greater speed, making him jump up and plant a hand on its head then vault over it then kick it with his right foot into a tree. He quickly swiped his knife from the cloak and spun around. As it turned to roar at them, its head suddenly slammed against the tree trunk and it went silent when he flicked the knife at blinding speeds and watched at the blade entered its mouth. It pinned the Grimm against the tree and its lower jaw hung limply and the body followed shortly after. After waiting fifteen seconds and observing, he watched as the body disappeared. He went over to pick up his knife off the tree trunk then set it on the cloak again.

"How troublesome..." He looked down at the child. She giggled and babbled a bit when he poked her stomach with a flat expression on his face before sitting down and getting her food ready. He set her down in his lap and began to mash some canned peaches for her. As he fed her, he began to think about his next course of action. Every time he fed her the fruit, she would always grip his hand as the spoon entered her mouth. He sighed when he constantly had to scoop the excess fruit off her mouth then guide it to her mouth. She sat still whenever he pulled out his map or read something, her eyes glued to the text which were nothing but scribbles to her young mind.

The day seemed to drip away and he put Myne in her crib before putting his armor back on. He already fed her, changed, and made sure she got her necessary attention before setting her in her crib. She was set down and could barely see him putting his armor back on carefully for the next few minutes before he stood over her. He looked at her one last time before bring up his TACPAD and pressing it, closing the cover doors on the crib. It took a few days but he managed to sync the crib with his TACPAD so it was easier for him to manage. Their journey was still a while away but he'd manage. He always did.

Another settlement that was entered and they needed to rest for the night. They'd rent a room then leave tomorrow morning. It was one of the rare occasions that he'd actually stay in a settlement for the night willingly. The two of them wandered around for the next half an hour before he eventually found a tavern and inn. Looks were received but he didn't care, he managed to get a room for the night and could rest easy. Many of the eyes followed him upstairs and watched as the crib floated behind him closely after. They took the most quiet room at the end of the hall where he could rest a bit and maintain his gear before bathing her and letting her sleep soundly.

A pair of red eyes followed them before taking a swig out of their glass of alcohol then fishing in their pocket for a scroll, sending a message before leaving the establishment shortly after.

* * *

It was seven in the morning when he woke up and put his armor on before leaving the establishment with Myne. The sun was barely over the horizon when they exited the settlement and headed to the next one. He had enough lien to get new supplies but he couldn't help but look back every once in a while, not for Grimm but for people. He knew when there was a Grimm around because they always made noise that he would pick up and appear on his motion tracker shortly after. Nothing appeared on his motion tracker and there was that faint feeling he had when he was being watched. Years of being a personal Grim Reaper had given him enough experience to know when he was being watched by somebody.

Hours passed by as the two of them walked in the wild, avoiding Grimm and usually having to backtrack several times when the path ahead of them lead to nowhere. It was relaxing in a sense, to just freely wander around. The only time they stopped is when he fed her, changed her, and brought out his map and looked at it, sighing when the next settlement turned out to be destroyed. He guessed it was around a couple of weeks since the place seemed abandoned, stripped clean of anything probably from looters and bandits. They were still on the right track though. It would take a day or two but that was alright, it kept him busy until they reached the settlement that he enjoyed being at. He kept his weapons out but lowered just in case there was a threat or two along the way. A shame he couldn't do anything about the settlement, but it was to be expected from a world with no real structure.

A day of nonstop walking went by and they arrived at a settlement, when he brought out his map it turned out that the settlement where Myne was taken from was only about a week's journey away. When he entered the small little town, he looked behind to see if anyone was following him and saw two people barely peeking around the corner of a building looking at him. His eyes lingered on the two before taking in their features and turning back to the path ahead. His first stop was a store to get more food then the second stop would be the weapon's shop to repair his throwing knives and get Dust. Years of experimenting with different chemicals revitalized his memory of crafting his own personal rounds. It was expensive but they did pay off and he wanted more. Dust was good for setting off chain reactions with the different elements and dealing with Grimm, they weren't as good when dealing with people. It's why he had to categories of rounds; his personal that he learned to make from the UNSC, although pricey they did payout and have more of an effect on people, and Dust which were great with dealing with Grimm.

People cooed and tried to play with Myne but he scared them off when he just stared at them silently. That was one of his things that his file read, that he would just stare at people thus creeping them out. He hadn't realized it was that noticeable until Carter had brought it up to him one mission. He missed the leader, he missed Noble in general. Ever since he was pulled out from Beta company, he was always alone and it comforted him a bit at times but being on a team showed him what it meant like to be a part of something. Although it was a pleasurable experience, he knew deep down inside he was meant to be alone.

His thoughts were shaken out when Myne let out a noise when they entered the store as the bell above jingled. At this point in time, she was sitting up on her own and was barely walking even with his assistance. He looked around for necessary food that would last him a while and food for her. There were times where he was so used to traveling alone that he forgot she was with him until she made a noise. He was so caught in his thoughts at the next best course of action that he wouldn't realize how long time would pass. Letting his mind and body wander, doing bounties, and helping people kept him busy until he got off the planet. There was a noise to his left and he looked to see Myne touching the things she could reach, dropping some things on the floor while he had to pick them up numerous times.

"Stop touching things." He said calmly. She flinched at being caught and looked at him while slowly reaching her hand towards a snack while he just stared at her. It would've been cute or funny to anyone else but he wasn't as amused as they would be. All he did was press some things on his TACPAD and watched as she jolted in surprise when she was suddenly moving away from the shelves. Deciding it would be better to gather the supplies, he quickly did so while making sure to keep her away from the shelves before leaving the store shortly after. The two of them merely wandered around the town for the next few minutes before eventually finding an armorer. This was one of the other settlements he had visited in the past and he knew it fairly well. Like how he knew the armorer kept moving his shop often for some reason. He could see somebody working from the window and entered the store, waiting for the gruff looking man to stop what he was doing when he noticed that he had customers.

"What can I do you for? Oh, it's you..." The man sighed. He was one of the only ones who knew Six's antics with dealing with people and had to constantly make him more knives whenever he lost his. More often than not, he knew that Six was one of the reason's the settlement stopped getting raided by bandits. They were terrified of him catching their scent then hunting them down.

"I need these repaired. They're in poor condition and need them ready for when I leave." Six answered as he put several throwing knives on the counter. The armorer picked some of them up and inspected them, they've been cleaned and it was clear that they were being taken care of but he noticed there was some blood in the grooves between the blade and the handle.

"Been taking care of people?" He asked as he looked up at Six.

"..." Six said nothing but just stared.

"Well, it'll be out shortly after. I'll see what I can do for these. In the meantime, wash your cloak, ya big golem. I'm tired of you walking in here sometimes and you smell like the forest." The man said.

"I'll see what I can do." Six nodded.

"You and that flat voice. I swear one of these days you're gonna piss off the wrong person with that tone." The man retorted.

"Understood." Six said in the same flat tone he's always had. He saw the man throw his arms up in exasperation before going in the back. He opened the door and waited outside the establishment so that Myne wouldn't inhale smoke. He didn't want her to have any more complications other than being frail. The two of them were this close to making back to the settlement and he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the mission. Minutes turned to tens of minutes before as he leaned near the door and waited for his throwing knives to be done. His head craned to the right and he saw Myne looking at him before reaching up to him. A few seconds of silence passed by and he extended his hand and let her grab his index finger.

It was silent for a few minutes as he just let her hold his index finger before the door opened and the armorer walked up to him. He looked down at Myne then back at him and did this several times.

"Never took you for having a kid." He said.

"She's not mine." Six replied.

"I'm not one to judge. Anyways, got these knives of yours repaired and reinforced them a bit so I better not see you here for a minute. Got it?" The armorer pointed.

"Understood." Six said.

"I pity the woman who falls head over heels for your ass. Stoic as a rock, you are." The man said.

"..." Six nodded then began to leave but stopped when the man grabbed his arm, making him look down at him.

"Listen, word is that a couple of huntsmen are looking for you. I'd be careful if I were you." He said.

"Is there anything else?" Six asked.

"Not much, just constantly hear the occasional huntsman or huntress wander in here spiting a man that keeps taking the bounties. Had one the other day bring you up, said it wasn't fair that I let you repair your throwing knives for free sometimes." The man said.

"Why?" Six asked, truly wondering why the man in front of him repaired his items for free sometimes or at a reduced cost.

"Don't go around telling anybody this but you're valuable here. People here feel safe despite you're less than stellar appearance and mannerisms. Hell, we trust someone who has never told anyone his name more than half these huntsmen and huntresses. Even though you don't show up as frequent as we want you to, our settlement hasn't been attacked by bandits in years since you first showed up here. Point is, if you need a place to lie low then everyone here will welcome you with open arms." The man said.

"... I cannot put you all in harm's way if something is trailing me." Six said as he took the knives and began to put them in some sheaths on his armor before walking down the stairs. He stopped and turned his head back towards the older man. "I appreciate the offer though, it has been noted." He nodded then walked towards the exit of the gate. The man watched him him leave with the infant and sighed a bit before noticing two figures follow him shortly after he left.

"I do hope you open up to at least someone and keep that kid safe..." The man said before heading into his armory. Work needed to be done and sitting here wasn't going going to do anything about that.

* * *

They had arrived at the settlement. Months of travelling was worth it in the end because he entered the settlement that Myne was taken from. He took his time when walking to the guild and opened the door. A few seconds after he walked in, everyone looked at him then at the crib. The guild girl was busy talking to someone and didn't notice him until she was done but she gave a smile when he returned. It had been several months since he's taken the job and they were holding out alright. More people had learned how to fight and more people were eager to join the guild to make a name for themselves. She understood their reasons though, the higher their ranking then the more dangerous jobs that could be taken therefore the more lien they could pull in.

"Oh! You're back. Did you find her?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes." He answered curtly then moved to the side a bit before opening the crib and revealing the missing girl. Everything went silent after he did that and he looked around to see everyone look at him in shock. Some of the patrons dropped their glasses of alcohol and just stared at him with open jaws, some just stared at him with widened eyes, and some even fainted on the spot. Nobody knew how he did it. How he managed to find this one little girl across the kingdom of Vale, the frontier nonetheless, and managed to make it back alright. He was a growing legend within the guild and it showed. Some could tell that he was young judging by his voice but how young nobody knew, all that they knew was that he received onyx level ranking within a few short years and that ranking often took almost decades to achieve.

"..." The guild girl couldn't help but just stare in shock at the missing girl and had to rub her eyes a bit before tears started to leak from the corners of her eyes. She didn't know why she was crying to be honest, maybe it was tears of joy? Appreciation that he went all this way to retrieve one little girl that others failed to do so in the past? After he left, more people volunteered to find the girl but always either perished or gave up a couple months in.

"Where are the parents?" He asked.

"Oh! Um... the father is working at the south gate and the mother is at work. I'll have someone go retrieve them." She wiped the tears away then went to the back. All he did was go near one of the tall tables with a set of long chairs and stood there, ignoring the people that were giving him looks. He didn't realize that the guild girl had came up to him and set a slip of paper down and an onyx tag down also. He filled some things out and when asked for his name, all he did was put the number six. Before he had taken this job, she informed him that pretty much only she knew the information on the papers and unless it was a supreme power then she wouldn't reveal anything. She blinked when he put the number for the name line.

"That's your name?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything but just nodded then turned to Myne, who was smiling at him.

"Thank you." She said.

"For what?" He asked.

"Saving her. Not many people would go that far to save one child." She smiled.

"It was my job." He simply said then waited.

"Well, we could increase your rank a bit but it would need to be approved by some higher authority." She said.

"Then keep it at what it is. I do not care for the ranking." He said.

"What? I thought that's why you did this?" She blinked in surprise.

"No. I did this simply because no one else was doing it and a child was at risk." He answered.

"So you didn't care if there wasn't a reward?" She asked.

"No. There are other means of receiving income." He answered curtly. She puffed her cheeks at his tone but she did catch a slight hint of emotion in it. It wasn't cold when he talked to her but simply calm. It was like nothing bothered him that much because he simply didn't care. He didn't care what others thought about him, he didn't care how difficult a mission was, and he especially didn't care about relationships. He was so distant towards everyone and she made it her mission to become someone he could count on and trust. Her thoughts were brought out when he reached on the table and picked up the tag and observed it for a few seconds.

"Why don't you hold onto this..." He said calmly as he handed Myne the tag. She blinked once then reached up and took the tag out of his hand then started to play with it a bit. Everyone just observed the two of them interact and just either chuckled or some of them cooed at the sight. He was used to such attention but it still made him slightly uncomfortable.

"We'll make you another one." The guild girl smiled.

"You don't have to." He replied.

"We will. Think of it as a gift from us. We all know you don't like to be a part of any organization and like to wander around." She said.

"I see. Thank you, ma'am." He said. From what he was understanding, this meant that they wouldn't give information of him to anyone else but did see him as a valued member of the guild. They knew he traveled alone most of the time and were content with the fact that he at least stopped by to give them breathing room. While he wasn't a member actively, he did have more wiggle room considering the deeds he does for the guild. Doing bounties and increasing your rank grants certain bonuses to individuals who complete them. So far, he had countless benefits but he rarely used them not because he couldn't but he didn't care most of the time. The only thing he really used was the discounts to purchase supplies and sometimes rent a room for the night but that was it.

"Anytime, as much as I would like to stay and talk to you, I need to get back to work." She said.

"Understood." He nodded then watched as she went back to the desk. More time passed and as people were leaving the guild, the parents suddenly rushed in and up to the desk. The two of them frantically asked where their daughter was and the guild girl pointed to the table Six was standing at and smiled before watching them rush over to him with tears in their eyes. It had been so long and they had lost pretty much all hope until they received the news today, making them wait until they could take the rest of the day off to see if the rumor was true or not.

Six watched them rush over to the table and look at the crib before backing up a bit when the mother picked Myne up, crying her eyes out. The small child looked confused and uncomfortable but didn't cry like he expected her to, she just looked at the two unknown adults then back at him. He waited until the two of them got done kissing her cheeks and hugging her before turning to him. They looked slightly better and had a little bit better clothing which indicated that they were working hard to improve their conditions.

"We don't know how to thank you." The father said.

"I'm just doing my job." Six said.

"We uh... we don't have any money to give you. If you come back at a later time-" The mother started.

"I don't need any." Six said, making them blink.

"What?" They said in unison.

"I do not need any lien. There are other bounties that I can accomplish to receive the reward. I did this task to make sure the child was safe and reunite her with you two. I am simply doing my duty." He answered curtly.

"We have to repay you somehow." The mother said.

"You do not. As I have stated before, it was my duty to ensure that the child was safe and returned to her parents." He answered. They couldn't say anything but just stare at him. Despite his cold tone and imposing figure, he did make sure their child was safe after all this time. He fed her, changed her, bathed her, and gave her the necessary attention to ensure that she at least grew a bit. While she wasn't frail as before, she was still a little and it was to be assumed that was how she was until she got older.

"Well, we have to give you something in return." The father said as he looked at his body then started to dig in his pockets for lien.

"I have stated before that I do not require anything." The Spartan said. It was difficult to get people to understand that he didn't really require anything that he couldn't get himself. If anything, he wanted to get rid of the crib so he didn't have to drag it all over the place.

"What's this?" The mother asked as she looked at the crib.

"It is something I had received from when I rescued Myne. You will take it. It uses gravity Dust to keep it levitating that burns slowly. You may either keep the Dust or sell it, I would advise the latter considering your situation." He said as he set his bag on the table and fished out several shards of gravity Dust. The couple could only stare at the Dust in awe then look at him with tears beginning to appear in their eyes again. With this, they could improve their living conditions for the better and give their children a better life.

They brought him into a hug which made him lock up tensely. He wasn't used to physical contact unless it was an attack and things like these made him uncomfortable. It wasn't like the time Jorge patted his shoulder, that time didn't make him feel as uncomfortable considering it was a fellow Spartan but civilians giving him physical contact made him tense. Years of being labeled as a freak by Marines, ODST, and even civilians made him throw up a wall of cold indifference to where feeling something as foreign as this made him feel odd. He wasn't cold and bitter like Emile was to them but he also wasn't warm to them like Jorge was. If anything, he just preferred to stay in the back and be left to his own devices rather than socialize. Others preferred company and companions, he preferred isolation. He was an odd one even as he was training. There would be countless orphans in the Beta company forming friendships while he was in the back observing everyone. It's just how he is. In the end it was just him and probably a few others that survived complete annihilation, he didn't know.

Both of the adults bid him farewell as they carried their reunited daughter out the door. She looked confused as to why he wasn't coming along with her and her eyes started to water a bit but he just nodded at her as he watched her go out the door. This is the way. This is the way things should be, despite him caring for her for the last couple of months, he couldn't raise her. She did give him a learning curve in case he encountered more children down the road but he highly doubted it. He shook his head at the thoughts and went up to the bounty board, already looking for his next job. His motion tracker picked up three unknowns behind him and he tensed up slightly.

"Excuse me, do you have a minute?" An older voice asked. He turned his head and saw three individuals standing behind him. The first man was possibly in his late forties, early fifties, with silver hair and had a cane in his right hand. The next man was a rugged looking man that had red eyes, a cape, and dress clothing that looked haphazardly put on. The final person was a blonde woman with green eyes that held a certain amount of authority, a noticeable bust, and a riding crop as her weapon. He recognized the last two because they had been trailing him for the last week, it was presumed that they were the huntsman and huntress that the armorer had warned him about.

"..." Six said nothing as he turned to them and looked down at them. It was clear that his attention had been caught which prompted the lead man to stick his hand out.

"I am Ozpin, the current Headmaster at Beacon." He introduced as he held his hand out. The air was quiet as Six just stared at him, the silence seemed to be uncomfortable because several patrons had to leave. Even the guild girl coughed at the tension in the air as she witnessed the scene in front of her. As much as she wanted to intrude, she knew that it would possibly ruin the interaction between the two parties.

"A quiet one, I see. Anyways, would you care to discuss some things?" Ozpin asked politely.

"..." Six still said nothing as he just continued to stare the older man down. The other man reached around for his weapon while the woman's grip on hers tightened a bit, something Six took note of.

"I'm afraid that would require an answer." Ozpin said.

"No." Six said coldly. From the corner of his eye he saw the guild girl flinch. He could understand why, when they spoke he was calm and relaxed around her but since this man and his associates showed up his voice changed to cold and defensive.

"No what?" Ozpin asked.

"I do not wish to discuss anything with you." Six answered in a cold tone. He ignored them and found his next bounty that he wished to accomplish then plucked it off the board before walking up to the desk.

"You just came back." She sighed.

"I have." He said to her, switching his tone from cold to calm in an instant. The other three took notice of this.

"The very least you can do is rest." She said.

"I will once I have acquired the bounty." He said.

"No, you rest for a day or two then you can get another bounty. I am the one who decides whether a person can get issued a bounty so if you don't rest then no bounty for you." She said while crossing her arms. A part of her expected him to just stare her down until she submitted but all he did was calmly set the bounty back on the board then look back at her.

"I see. I will come back tomorrow for it then." He nodded.

"What?!" She squeaked. The rugged looking man let out a subtle chuckle before getting hit in the stomach with the woman's elbow.

"You are correct in the regard that you hold the highest authority within this establishment. While I would personally admit that I would like to have another bounty, I do understand your concern. Therefore, I will stop by tomorrow morning to retrieve it." He explained calmly. He saw her blink in surprise before letting out a smile then nodding while he did the same then left the establishment.

The other three followed him, to which he took note of and continued to ignore them. They tried to speak to him but he just ignored them and continued to walk towards the store, nodding curtly when people waved at him.

"Pal, the very least you can do is answer our questions." The rugged looking man commented.

"Now, now, Qrow, if this gentleman doesn't wish to speak then he doesn't have to." Ozpin gestured.

"I do not wish to speak to you all because I have no interest in what you are trying to bargain." Six said.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ozpin asked.

"Earlier you stated that you wished for me to follow you to Beacon academy to discuss some things, correct?" Six asked.

"That is correct." Ozpin nodded.

"Yet I hold no interest in going there. Following you to your base of operations is a foolish move, especially when I do not know you." Six countered.

"Look, it's obvious he isn't one to play word games so we'll cut to the chase. We want you to help us." Qrow said.

"Qrow!" The woman whipped towards him.

"Look at him, Glynda, he ain't exactly beating around the bush with us. He's like those jarheads at Atlas who don't like it when people dance around them with words." He gestured to Six.

"That doesn't mean you should reveal our intentions like that." She said.

"We weren't exactly giving him much to go on here. We've been tailing him for the last several minutes and he barely said a word to us even though we've been trying to sugar coat everything." He said.

"Despite my associates conflicting approaches, we do wish for you to join us. It would be beneficial towards all of us, even Remnant as a whole. I feel that if you do then a certain partnership can be established-" Ozpin started.

"No." Six interrupted coldly, stopping all three of them.

"What?" They asked in unison.

"I do not believe I have misspoken. I said no and the answer will continue to be no. As I have stated before, I have no intentions of joining you three to Beacon academy and the words you have sugar coated earlier do not benefit nor interest me. I have heard of you Headmaster Ozpin but I do not know you nor your intentions; therefore, I do not trust you in the slightest." Six stated in the same tone as he turned his back towards them and begun to walk away. They seemed stunned for a few seconds as if someone had just slapped them before quickly rushing up to him.

"What is it that you require? Lien, we can provide that if you would just discuss some things with us." Ozpin said.

"The answer is still no." Six replied.

"What is it that you want from us?" Glynda asked.

"To stop trailing me." He answered.

"We're not trailing you." Qrow dismissed.

"You two have been trailing me for the past week, possibly longer. On Tuesday of last week around eleven thirty-seven A.M. you two were spotted behind the corner of a building. Your location was the settlement that was thirty miles east from here. Judging by the fact that the Headmaster is leading you two, I assume he was the one to issue the mission to acquire me." Six briefed. The other three were just thrown into silence and seemed to break out into a cold sweat. He knew that they were following him this whole time. Knew up until the exact time of day that they were doing it. Nothing flew over his head as some of the rumors had stated. Not a single one of them had actually expected him to deny their request. Usually when one was given the chance to negotiate with Beacon, they would jump at the first chance but not the man in front of them. He flat out denied them and wasn't budging.

"What will make you negotiate with us then? I assume you have terms." Ozpin said.

"Nothing. I am not interested in what problems you have. I do not trust you. Stop following me." Six said as he entered an inn and went up to the front desk. The person smiled at him and the two of them made a transaction before he received a room key. The other three followed him up the stairs and down the hallway before he came to his room. He unlocked the door, opened it then entered before setting his bag down near the door.

"Just consider it." Ozpin stated as he handed a card. Six stared at his hand for a few seconds before closing the door in his face. It was silent as the other three just stood there. The silence seemed to last a few seconds before Qrow got his flask out and brought it to his lips as the three of them started to walk down the hall.

"Wow... just wow. We spent the last few years trying to pin point this guy and the last few months trailing him and we get rejected in the span of an hour." He said bitterly.

"I have a feeling he will reconsider." Ozpin hummed.

"I don't mean to burst your bubble, Oz... but he seemed like he could give less than two shits at what we think. It's obvious he isn't going to join us so why are we trying?" Qrow asked.

"Call it a hunch." Ozpin hummed again.

"As much as I would like to agree with you, Qrow's right in this regard. This man obviously doesn't care about helping us seeing how he ignored us half the time and rudely shut the door in our face." Glynda said.

"... It takes time with things like these." Ozpin said as he headed outside with the other two.

If only he knew how wrong he was in the future. How wrong he was to think that a person that sought isolation could be chained like a rabid dog.

* * *

**So... yes. I am here with another chapter. So soon, you may ask? I'll tell you why. My classes have two assignments that I already finished and I'm bored. Like seriously, I already got a paper finished and turned in, a practice test complete, and my essay started... in the span of the three days of the first week. Not to mention at my school, I have Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays off so it's good. Don't have much to say other than wow, and by that I mean reviews.**

**ThePizziaMan: Yes but no.**

**Thraus: I'll try to keep his attitude like that for the rest of the story.**

**Lord Demolitions: Negative.**

**Guest: Hope this at least quelled some of your hopes.**

**Guest: I have and there might be something in the future.**

**Sm0keyPanda: I'll think about it.**

**UndeadLord22: Well here's the silver haired wizard for you.**

**Slim A Lou Prime: Thank you. I want to build up a reputation for him for when I hit canon, I'll try to do something about the reactions with the other big powers.**

**MidKnightMoonglow99: That's what a lot of people have been saying lately.**

**SPRTN544: *Enjoys the theme***

**Rookie059: I'll try to give a good reaction for when he meets them. Thanks for the review.**

**Rathaloski Mozsko: The Mandalorian.**

**VGBlackwing: That's what everyone is saying about the last chapter.**

**Specter343: I'll try to keep you hooked from this point on.**

**Josephi: I actually laughed for like, five minutes when I saw those two reviews. Thank you for that.**

**Random Bro: Don't worry, as soon as next week comes around, I'll start buckling down. The only reason I actually managed to write this was because I finished all my assignments early.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: Didn't mean for it to be like that.**

**Czechus: I'll try not to drag it out too long before I reach canon but as I stated above, I did want to flesh out the backstory on how he got to his reputation. I'm more of a guy that enjoys crafting a lore and having people enjoy it rather than just saying he's a legend then coming up with his actions as the story progresses. In response to B312 acting like B312... that's just how he is. While in the wiki it did state that he did form friendships with other Spartans, Marines, and even civilians, my version is a little different than that. What I'm trying to say is that I'm giving him my own twist without butchering his character, you know. PS. This is the way.**

**the-lost-memories6: You know, you're not the first person to have said that.**

**Lord of Moons: I don't know if I'll have those. It all depends if I'm feeling up to it. Maybe or maybe not, it more or less leans to the latter than the former.**

**Ronmr: Affirmative.**

**Malgrath: I chuckled at that.**

**flitterflux: His rounds and knife. Different materials from a different world. His augmented strength is also a key factor, it's more or less he breaks their aura before they even realize it when in close quarters but he does have personal rounds that can bypass it. Plus, the concept of aura is never brushed up on in RWBY half the time with the exception of that one episode.**

**The Baz: Six doesn't trust anyone, and I mean that literally. He actually doesn't trust anyone with the exception of like one person. His reasoning is that the child was safer in his hands rather than the authorities because he's confident in his abilities to keep her safe. He takes the necessary precautions in ensuring her safety as opposed to dropping off her off to the authorities and letting them handle the rest. It's not that he cares about his ranking because he doesn't but more along the lines of he wants to be the one to finish his objective. He also sees this as a learning curve for him just in case something like this happens again. **

**DoomKnight-6642: I have. I think about if often and I'm trying to improve on that regard but it's hard sometimes. Like, I want to make it so where it's not too repetitive but not too barren of content. I'll admit that it's one of my weaknesses when it comes to writing. Sometimes I make grammatical mistakes while other times I make things too repetitive.**

**Blaze1992: He probably won't care seeing how it'll mostly apply to the city. The frontier mostly, sometimes not, know of him as someone who kills bandits and Grimm rather than civilians.**

**DarkySunRise: I'm glad you got the reference and thank you.**

**sacke110: Was not intended but I guess it is.**

**scottusa1: Thank you, later.**

**Seros109: Gotta read to find out. Also greetings, you're my very first reviewer from Germany. Kind of happy that this story reached all the way out there. Don't know how far my story reaches half the time.**

**NewFan: Here's another chapter.**

**KnowingEzmend: Thank you.**

**Wrath of Vajra: He will, it's kind of the premises of the story, he walks alone most of the time waiting for more orders from the UNSC. Thanks for reviewing.**

**So yeah, you guys wrote an fuck load of reviews that took me around twenty minutes to actually type and like ten minutes to think of suitable answers for you guys. I really appreciate that you guys are enjoying this story and I hope I can keep your attention. If the quality goes down and some of you didn't enjoy this chapter as much as the last then I'm sorry, I'm not perfect. Writing stories as decent as this one is hard when the audience grows within six days. So again, if this doesn't suite your expectations and you find yourself losing interest then I understand and wish you the best of luck and thanks for giving it a read.**

**Another thing I want to mention, a lot of you guys have been stating that this is like The Mandalorian and I'm here to tell you I didn't mean for it to end up like that last chapter. Not that I'm saying it's a bad thing since a lot of you enjoyed it a lot... and I mean a lot considering I got like twenty reviews within the first eight hours. Anyways, it was not my intention to make it like that but I do appreciate that you guys enjoyed it. I mean, it's kind of the reason I made this story to begin with, give some people something to enjoy a bit on the downtime. So here you guys go. To all of you who keep saying don't have him join Beacon or any of the other academies, don't worry. Six is strictly loyal to the UNSC. He avoids the cities, academies, and other military bases like the plague so you won't have to worry about him joining anyone.**

**The last thing I want to mention is I have no idea what I'm going to name the guild girl. I based her design in the story off of the one from Goblin Slayer, yes I do enjoy that and if you don't then tough titty, but I can't keep calling her that every time I bring her up. Kind of becomes a problem and gets a little repetitive at times when I write something with her in it and I literally need to say "the guild girl or the girl from the guild" every fucking time. I don't know, maybe I'll keep calling her that or give her a name. Don't know anymore...**

**Anyways, thanks for all your time and patience and I will catch you all on the flip side. Stay respectful out there people. Take it easy, everyone.**


	8. Chapter 8: Time passes on

As more years passed and he continued to do what he had in the previous years, he began to question the way the world was run. Atlas for the most part, while it had a military and structure, was so poorly put together it made some insurrectionists cells look like professionals. Mistral and Vacuo were overrun with chaos that it would take countless years to even think about getting it in shape, and Vale was just... in the middle. It had structure and stability but it also had chaos and was in a disarray sometimes. He didn't know. A small amount of hope had festered within him when he received a signal, it wasn't UNSC or from Remnant. It was something else and the signal was patchy but that could be dealt with in the future.

He had become a legend within the frontier, sometimes as a protector and savior while other times he was a ruthless killer. It didn't matter because he left before anyone could actually find him. Completing bounties ranged from eliminating Grimm and bandits to capturing outlaws that had escaped to the frontier. Having them alive was worth more and half the time he had to drag them across the ground with a rope before delivering them to the settlement. Nobody but foolish and suicidal individuals threatened him, he was known to find people with little information and nobody knew how he did it but they didn't ask. When he was in Atlas, he typically avoided the cities but was welcome in some of the settlements. The outer Atlas settlements often provided him with a place to stay during blizzards and offered to give him a room for a week or two but he usually left after a day, onto the next one already. Bounty hunting was an ugly profession sometimes but someone had to do it.

Things changed in the recent years, mostly the White Fang. Their protests became more violent. He didn't care for faunus, didn't care if they had an extra appendage or not but what he did care about was the fact that they were starting to turn their hate onto civilians. There was a bombing recently that had caught his attention and he had looked into it. Some White Fang had managed to infiltrate an apartment complex over in Atlas and set charges inside. That action killed dozens of innocent people and injured countless more. This was a problem that required careful planning and execution. The White Fang got worse in time and he started to treat them like insurrectionists, with cold indifference and merciless elimination.

In the last couple of years he had started hunting them down ruthlessly, making entire camps disappear in a night and striking fear into them. They had created a rumor about him, saying he was the personification of all the humans they had killed, the literal Grim Reaper. No one knew for sure because there was no one left to tell the tale, at least the ones in the camps. From that point on they stayed in the city, they knew if they went out into the frontier then they were on his radar. Very rarely did he enter the city when he tracked them into it and eliminated the cell, only being vaguely caught on the camera. It was how they came across his existence.

It was dusk as he traveled through a field in Vale. His cloak kept his body covered as usual and it looked more tattered due to years of travel but it still held true to him and kept his figure mysterious. This was the closest he's actually been to the city in years and it didn't bother him as much as it should have. Usually whenever he was in a settlement near the city walls, they kept their mouths shut about him. These things often happened when you save a settlement a couple of times or give them breathing room. He hadn't been to a settlement in months and he was nearing one if his map was correct. Though, it always was a good thing to prepare himself if it was destroyed and he would have to move to the next one.

His eyes suddenly flicked forward when he heard a commotion ahead and crouched down in the treeline. He observed three individuals cornering a woman with light brown skin. The male with silver hair and prosthetic legs and a woman with mint green hair and red eyes with a darker complexion were holding down a woman. He equipped his DMR and aimed in at the woman with short black hair and amber eyes. She put on a white glove and aimed it at the woman that was held down before he saw a small beetle Grimm suddenly appear out of the glove. He didn't need to know what it did before he suddenly pulled the trigger twice on his weapon with quick succession and listened to the cracks.

The rounds soared through the air and suddenly impacted the wrist of the woman with amber eyes. Her scream echoed throughout the sky as her hand hung limply by the bone when the DMR rounds impacted it her wrist. Blood gushed out from her wound and she quickly brought her wounded appendage close to her, screaming curses at the one who had managed to harm her. It seemed his personal rounds he crafted paid off, which was fortunate because those were some of his last ones before he had to get more from the old gunsmith in that one settlement he favored. He saw the other two jump off the woman on the ground and fired two more rounds at each one respectively, the girl suddenly had a wound in her leg while the boy managed to maneuver out of the way a bit but still took damage to one of his legs.

Six suddenly burst from the treeline and quickly dashed across the field before skidding onto the road in front of the girl on the ground. His cloak blew to the side a bit before falling over him again and covering his figure while he equipped his shotgun and rushed at the three attackers. He fired a shell at the boy and watched as he quickly rolled out of the way before he parried a strike from the girl. He ducked when she swung her weapon at him before gripping her left arm with his own then slamming his knee into her. The cracking of several ribs and the choking of spit met his ears before he leaned out of the way when the boy swung his leg at him from an angle. He dropped the girl onto the ground them then engaged the boy in close quarters.

He brought up his right forearm and blocked a kick before switching arms when the boy spun around to do the same. His arms slammed down when the boy swung his right leg up but was intercepted by the Spartan. The force of the forearms slamming into his leg made the boy flip forward, which Six took advantage of and gripped his shoulders before slamming his face onto his armored knee. He heard the boy shout in pain before he fell onto his back while clutching his nose. It all happened so fast that he didn't even register the hit until he was on the ground. Six wasted no time and brought his shotgun up to the knee joint of the prosthetic and pulled the trigger, ignoring the loud crack of the shotgun discharge and the tearing of metal before doing the same to the other leg. He slammed his foot onto the boy's chest and broke three of his ribs before pulling out his knife then sinking it into the side of his neck.

A chain wrapped around his throat and tried to yank him down but he responded by wrapping his left arm around it multiple times then thrust down. The green haired girl suddenly found herself flying forward into and her face was suddenly gripped tightly in his left hand. She tried to slam her fists into his forearm but all he did was sweep his left leg behind hers and slam the back of her head onto the ground. Her aura finally gave out and a cry broke her lips before he slammed his fist against the side of her skull. He stood up and grunted when fire Dust impacted his chest as he turned around and skid back a bit. It was powerful and probably was raw but it did take a large portion of his shields down.

The woman with the bleeding wrist that hung loosely at her side breathed harshly as she brandished one of her swords. Her wrist had been cauterized to stop the bleeding but it was evident that her hand wasn't of any use. She quickly rushed up to him and put him on the defensive, swing one of her swords at a quick pace but he blocked with his forearms each time. It was hard for her because she could only use one arm, those rounds he fired at her managed to break her aura and snap the bone like a pencil. If she could just get one lucky strike on him then she could strike his heart and extract the power then leave but he left no openings. Every place she struck at, he would quickly block or parry her attack. Every kick was blocked with either his legs or arms. She couldn't even use her Dust or flip over him because he was three steps ahead of her.

The more energy she put into her attacks, the more she realized that he was tiring her out before he struck. He was the wolf that stalked its prey until it eventually tired itself out and didn't have any more energy to run. She swung downwards then realized her mistake when he moved out of the side then slammed his knee into her nose. Her aura finally shattered like glass and blood shot out of her nose like a geyser before she fell on the ground in agony. This was a mistake, she should have used the other two as bait then tended to herself. Her pride became her downfall within thirty seconds as the monster before her loomed over her. She tried to stand up and run away but he just swept his foot in front of her and shattered her shin bone. The sickening crack was heard from her leg and a bloody scream escaped her lips in the open field. Crawling was her last resort but all he did was loom over her before rearing his hand back and thrusting his knife into her lower back. A sickening noise as it entered and she screamed in agony before he twisted the knife and slammed his fist on the back of her head, rendering her unconscious.

All was quiet for the next several seconds as Six stood up to his full height before sighing out a bit then inspecting the slight scorch marks on his cloak before reaching in his bag then pulling out rope. He tied the woman in front of him up tightly before going to the other two and doing the same before he picked up his shotgun on the ground and put it on his back before turning to the woman that was held hostage. She couldn't do anything but just stare dumbly at him and suddenly blink before scrambling back a bit when he walked in front of her then crouched down.

"Are you injured?" He asked.

"..." She couldn't help but squeak a bit at his sudden question.

"Are you injured?" He repeated.

"Oh! Um... not really." She winced, making him turn his head to look at her back.

"You are lying." He stated flatly.

"O-Okay... I'm just a little hurt." She admitted. He said nothing but just went behind her and pulled the arrow out from her back, ignoring her startled and painful cry.

"You're supposed to warn somebody of when you do that!" She glared at him.

"You would've kept stalling when trying to prepare yourself and wasted time." He countered back calmly. Her glare dissipated and an embarrassed blush grew on her cheeks when she realized he was right, she would've done that. The air was silent as he set his bag down then reached inside before putting disinfectant on her wound, rubbing away any residue that might have accumulated inside then started to bandage it quietly. All she could do was just sit there while he tended to her wound before standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder again. Before she could thank him, somebody quickly rushed up to him and jumped up in the air, their weapon brandished and already in a slicing motion.

Her eyes seemed to bulge out from her sockets when she saw him quickly turn around and bring out his combat knife, flipping it in a reverse grip and block the attack. He skid back about a foot but otherwise remained fine as a gust of air spiraled around them. Six kicked the attacker in his stomach quickly and gave himself some room while he took a combat stance. The attacker recovered and got in a combat stance also before widening his eyes. It was the same man who rejected them years ago, then made himself practically a ghost again when they tried to trail him the second time.

"What did you do to her?!" Qrow pointed his weapon at Six.

"I merely defended her from these three." Six answered calmly as he kept his stance. Qrow narrowed his eyes and looked around at the three unconscious, barely breathing, individuals that were scattered around. He didn't know if he could take this guy to be honest, he'd probably give him a good run for his money since he was experienced but he didn't know if he could win in the end. The guy in front of him had a reputation in the frontier for being nearly unbeatable. When he asked numerous people about him, they claimed they didn't know because they actually _didn't know _about Six. He was all bite and practically no bark.

"Qrow, stop! He's telling the truth. Look!" The girl behind them suddenly cried out and turned her body to show the patched up wound. Six moved to the side as he watched the other man inspect the girl and make sure she was okay before turning to him.

"Why'd you defend her?" Qrow asked with narrowed eyes.

"She was in danger. Three unknown hostiles were assaulting this woman and about subject her to an unknown Grimm species. I could not let that happen." Six briefed. The other two noticed how his voice never changed once, it was just that cold straight to the point tone this entire time. It was like he was a robot for the most part. It was then when they noticed the other three, all beaten and bloody, one of them possibly dead.

"These the three?" Qrow asked as he walked over to them. He winced when he saw the boy's legs blown off or it looked torn off from his angle.

"Two. The male is deceased." Six stated in the same tone. Qrow looked at the body and felt the pulse... nothing. He found that the neck and been punctured at an angle to where he would bleed out quickly.

"He was pretty much still a kid." Qrow stood up.

"He was threatening a civilian." Six countered.

"He could've been dealt with in a different way." Qrow snapped.

"... I see." Six said after a few seconds of silence before beginning to walk away on the trail. He wanted to get to the settlement soon to replenish his supplies.

"Wait, where are you going?!" The woman shouted as she started to go after him, ignoring Qrow's shouts for her to stay away from him.

"To my destination. My duty to save you has been fulfilled, we are going to head out separate ways." Six answered curtly.

"The least I can do is thank you." She said as she caught up to him.

"You have." He said.

"I mean like, really thank you. If you come with us to the Headmaster's-" She started.

"That is something I cannot do. We go our own ways from now on. Farewell." He said indifferently before walking away. She didn't try to follow him and she didn't know if she wanted to follow him. It seemed like he was one of those wanderer types that only looked out for himself. As she watched him go, Qrow came up next to her and watched the man slowly start to disappear on the trail.

"Who was that?" She asked, turning to see the older Huntsman sigh a bit.

"A local legend, didn't think I'd ever run into him." He answered.

"Who is he?" She asked.

"He's someone you don't want to get on the bad side of. Nobody knows much about him, from what the settlements say is that he randomly pops in the settlement does some bounties on the board then leaves. Doesn't tell anyone his name, where he heads to next, or where he came from." He explained.

"Why?" She asked once more. They began walking down the trail, both of them grabbing the women and carrying them.

"Because nobody knows. I mean that literally, he's an enigma. He's pretty much a ghost most of the time and is able to lose the people who trail him. Heard a rumor a couple of years back about a massive bandit tribe that was wreaking havoc, known to basically pillage and rape before leaving the survivors to the Grimm. Nobody messed with them unless they were trained to and half the time those that went after them died. Fast forward a year or two, they all suddenly went missing." He trailed off.

"... Was he the one who did it?" She asked. A small part of her felt like a little kid, she had heard stories but she just believed that they were Huntsmen and Huntresses boasting about their abilities.

"From what I gathered... yeah. Some of my contacts said he tracked all of them down in a month. He killed them all and brought back the knives as evidence, someone else said they found bodies decaying in the sun, each one scattered away from one another." He said.

"What'd he do?" She asked.

"From my guess, divided them. Took out their highest member then started to pick each one off one by one. While I'd love to keep talking about he legend of the frontiers, promise me one thing, Amber..." He trailed off.

"What?" She turned to him.

"You never pick a fight with him. I mean it too. It doesn't matter if you're a maiden or not. I've heard what he does when he fights people that he can't kill right off the spot. He studies them, breaks them down, and lets them wither themselves down a bit before finishing them off. He knows the best way to kill a person and has done it before, possibly hundreds of times. So promise me one thing... you never ever pick a fight or even attempt to." He said seriously. There was no argument in his tone either.

"If I do?" She shook a bit.

"... You better hope that someone is at least near you or you can outrun him. The latter seems impossible though, there hasn't been a person who's managed to actually run from him if they're his target. Once he has your scent, it's over." He answered grimly. Her enthusiasm to learn about this legend soon turned to a small amount of terror. The story turned from a fairy tale into a horror one in the span of a few seconds. The more Qrow spoke, the darker and more disturbing the tale got. She didn't know why but she felt her heart start to pound into his chest when she was near the man. It was like every single fiber in her being screamed for her to get away from him, that he was a monster underneath that cloak. Something that was progressively worse than the Grimm and it scared her. Even Qrow spoke as if he had fought against a monster.

She couldn't help but look behind them to see if he was watching. Watching them down the darkening sky like some predator watched their prey, observing it carefully and letting the fear fester in their being before finally sinking their jaws into the unlucky victim.

* * *

When Six entered the settlement, he immediately went to the gunsmith. The bell above chimed loudly and caught the attention of the man who was sleeping. He woke up and sighed when it was only Six. He was possibly the only customer that he enjoyed making ammo for because he didn't need to brag about what they were for. Plus, he saved his son in the other settlement a few years ago, actions like that go a long way and he valued Six for doing that even though there wasn't a reward. It's one of the reasons why Six had discounts ninety percent of the time, or he would make the rounds and shells for free.

"Oh it's you... thought it was the boss." He chuckled.

"I need more personal rounds. I'm running low and need them before I leave." Six said.

"More? You just came here like four months ago to get more. How often do you use them?" The gunsmith asked.

"..." Six said nothing which made the other man sigh.

"Still as quiet as ever. Anyways, you know the drill after all these years. Do what you do, I'll have these up by tomorrow. How many you want?" The gunsmith asked as he reached to his side and began to drink some water out of his bottle.

"Sixty." Six answered.

"Pfffft!" The gunsmith spit the water from his mouth to the side and started to cough roughly. Six just watched him cough before recovering himself a bit then staring at the Spartan with wide eyes.

"Sixty?! That's three times as much as you usually want! Do you know how long it'll take?" He asked.

"Three to four days." Six answered.

"That was a rhetorical question, ya golem." The gunsmith sighed.

"..." Six just stared at him quietly before going around the store and inspecting some of the items.

"Alright, it'll take me three days to make all these. Just need to remember what you put in there to give them that kick. You're lucky I like you, otherwise you'd be waiting a week." The man pointed at him.

"Thank you." Six said in his normal tone before walking out of the store. He heard the gunsmith say something before he went around the settlement to get supplies. His first stop was the gunsmith so that was out of the way, his next would be the family that he returned Myne to in order to have his cloak tended to, the next stop after that would be the store to get more food, and his final stop would be the guild to get a bounty or two to complete while his ammunition was being crafted. The people of the settlement practically adored him whenever he dropped by, even if it was for a few days or a week they recognized him immediately and always gave him friendly gestures while he just nodded at them.

The walk to the family's house took several minutes considering they were on the poorer side but he eventually made it. Their house was old by the looks of the wood but he didn't mind, there were some spots that had been repaired or replaced indicating they were at least trying to improve their conditions. When he walked up the steps, he knocked on the door three times and the father immediately opened it, widening his eyes before smiling.

"What brings you here? I mean, you're welcome here but you usually stay in the higher end of the settlement." He said.

"My cloak is has taken damage and is in need of repair. I would appreciate it if you are able to tend to it." Six said, straight to the point. His voice never changed from its calm tone. He wasn't cold to civilians as he learned that it often put them at unease and usually wasn't beneficial when he held a conversation with them. Putting them at a state of unease usually meant they wouldn't give him the needed item or favor when he needed it. It was better to have a calm, collected voice as opposed to his cold, defensive one he had when he met a new person. The father picked up on this fairly quickly when he first met the Spartan as did the mother.

"Well come on in. It might be a while... Myne is sick again and we're trying to get some money for her medicine. The stuff is so damn expensive nowadays." The father said quietly. Six nodded then followed the man into the house and took off his cloak, setting it on the table before spreading his contents on it. The family had known him long enough and were kind enough to let him into their home despite his reputation. It took a few years to coax him into their home but this last time he finally accepted. He often helped them if needed as he did with some of the other people at the settlement. Nobody knew his reasons but some speculated that it was to keep him busy when he was denied bounties. The guild girl often chastised him about overworking himself.

He put some herbs on the table and looked around the house before finding something that resembled a pot. Going over to the sink, he put some tap water in the pot and threw in a purification tablet, waiting for it to dissolve before throwing the pot on the stove. Several minutes passed by and the water was boiling before he turned it off and started to mix some herbs together, it wasn't anything special. He took some ginger from his bag and started to grate finely before getting a mug then pouring the ginger into it then the hot water. His ears picked up on a noise and the motion tracker picked up movement behind him and he turned his head to see the mother come out of her room.

"What's this?" She asked as he placed the steaming liquid on the table.

"Ginger tea. This will alleviate and possibly eliminate Myne's fever. Drinking this three to four times a day will assist her and bolster her immune system." He answered.

"I see... thank you." She nodded. Ginger wasn't usually grown close to the settlement and those who went out to retrieve some had to travel for a few hours to get it, and there was always the risk of Grimm attacking. People were scared to go outside the walls but he wasn't. Grimm were mere nuisances to him, people were more dangerous because they were unpredictable. Older Grimm could spend hundreds of years to gain knowledge to become a menace while people with common interests could be a menace from the start. Grimm couldn't teach Grimm but people could teach one another.

"If you have honey or lemon then I feel that she would enjoy it more." He advised. She smiled at him then nodded before taking the steaming mug to the bedroom down the hall and closing the door. Several minutes passed by in silence and he started to make more medicine for the family. This wasn't uncommon for him to do things like this because it gave him something to do and it ensured people survived in the end. This was the logic for his actions. Medicine helps people live longer and him eliminating a threat ensured their survival. He let his thoughts wander for the next several minutes in silence before he made some more medicine then placed it in some glass bottles for the family before putting his things away.

Several more minutes passed by as he waited in silence before the parents came out with their daughter. The mother was holding her in her arms while she slept soundly before the three of them sat down at the table. It was awkward for a minute until the father spoke up.

"We want to thank you for the tea. It seems to be working well." He said.

"As I have stated before, it should help her immune system in the future if she is to keep consuming it." Six stated. The two of them saw bottles on the table that had a cork in the top of it acting as a seal.

"What's all this?" The mother asked.

"It is medicine for you all until you are able to receive proper medical supplies." He answered curtly. A smile seemed to break out on their lips as he explained the six bottles of medicine to them before waiting as the father held onto Myne gently while the mother tended to his cloak. They noticed the way he spoke was always almost straight to the point and didn't really have much of a sense of humor. They could tell he was a soldier but they just thought he hailed form Atlas, to which he immediately denied. It didn't matter to them though, they still welcomed him into their home for all he's done for the community. From what they heard from other travelers, he does these types of things with the other settlements that aren't destroyed. He just helps them if he is in the area. It was impossible to actually get him to stay sometimes but most knew how he wandered around the frontier of the kingdoms aimlessly.

Myne adored him, aside from her dad, Six was her hero when she was finally old enough to comprehend that he did good. She was turning five this year and was usually a happy child when she wasn't bedridden. She always kept the onyx tag around her neck and was always excited to hear that he was in town. There was one time when she drew a picture of her family being attacked by Grimm while her dad and Six were in the front, defeating them. When Six heard about this, he became uncomfortable once more, he didn't know how to react when she was near him and often just used silence to mask his discomfort. By no means did he hate the child or her family, it was more along the lines of he didn't know how to interact with her. Her dream was to become like him when she was older to provide money for her family

Six just listened to them talk about their daily lives in silence, only giving answers when he was asked but for the most part he listened. It seemed just listening to the mother talk while she tended to his cloak made her put more effort into sealing up the tears in it. There was nothing that could be done for the ends since they were just torn from his years of travel and he preferred it that way but he did notice that the tears towards the middles were practically non-existent at this point. When she was finished and held it up to him, to which he inspected for a few seconds and threw it over his shoulders. The tattered look still remained but at least the major tears were sewn shut as he threw the hoodie over his head. He reached around and dug through his bag before taking out some lien before placing it on the table.

"Sir, we can't accept this." The mother said.

"You will. It will give you enough to purchase supplies." He said bluntly before turning around and walking out the door. When he stepped out of the door and closed it behind him, he looked to his left then started to walk down the street for the next several minutes until he reached the store. The shopkeeper waved at him while he returned the gesture before collecting his necessary items and paying for them, throwing them into the bag before walking to the guild to pick up bounties. The atmosphere felt different when he entered it and he immediately noticed that it was only the guild girl and her assistant in the establishment.

A red flag was immediately thrown up because there was usually one or two people at this hour but there was no one but the two receptionists at the desk. He saw them smile at him but it was forced, covered up well enough to fool a regular person but he wasn't fooled. As he stepped closer to them and went up to them, he saw three blips on his motion tracker, the third was between them and was an unknown but he assumed that it was hostile.

"Welcome, sir. " The guild girl smiled forcefully. This was another red flag because she had always called him Six from this point on, only addressing him as sir when there were unknown people in the guild. She hadn't called him sir in years either.

"..." He didn't say anything but just stared at her and the other receptionist before bending down against the counter. His hand brushed against the decorative wood before planting it on a certain spot and knocking a few times to test the sturdiness. Both of them felt their hearts leap into their throats when he suddenly reared his arm back and clenched his fist before sending it forward. His arm penetrated the wood easily and he gripped the unknown by their neck then pulled them out, throwing them into the wall by the door. The person groaned and rubbed their head before standing up and rushing at him with a knife.

He moved to the sides easily before slamming the palm of his hand against their forearm to parry the strike. His leg kicked the side of their knee and made them bend down painfully before he raised his fist and slammed it down onto the top of their head. It was quickly sent plummeting towards the ground and crashed through the floorboard with ease at the amount of force he put into that punch. He had to purposefully hold back in order to avoid killing the attacker but he neutralized them in the span of seconds. Five at most after he ripped them away from the two.

When he turned back to the two, all he saw was them just staring at him dumbly. It was silent as he just stared at them while they did the same for several seconds before he set his bag down and reached inside of it to produce some rope before tying the attacker up tightly. They watched him leave for several minutes before returning and picking his bag up off the ground and stepping up to them.

"Are you injured?" He asked.

"I'm fine, she might not be. Thanks for the save. Well anyways, since you two are here, you can close up the shop." The assistant said to the guild girl as she thanked Six then collected her things before stepping out.

"EH?!" The guild girl cried out suddenly. She fumed in place for a few seconds before huffing and collecting her things. A sudden realization made her look up to see Six there, waiting for her to answer his question and soon heat crept up to her cheeks. She didn't realize how rude she had been up until now.

"I'm sorry! I'm fine. Thank you for saving us." She sighed.

"Why was he holding you two hostage?" He asked.

"He... he was angry at us because we wouldn't give him a reward. We sent a group to deal with a Grimm and only he returned, he didn't seem affected by their deaths and he seemed to have their belongings. When we asked how he dealt with the Grimm, he claimed that it was the others that had did it and he would accept the reward in their name. It's against the guild's rules to take the bounty reward when you did nothing but watch others die for your sake." She clenched her fists tightly.

"I see." He said quietly. It was silent for a while as he just went around and collected the broken wood before putting it in a corner.

"I'm sorry to say this but we're closing right now. You can pick up bounties tomorrow morning." She said to him.

"Understood." He nodded then walked out the door. She walked out shortly after him and locked the door to the guild with a bag in her hand before beginning to walk home, only noticing that he was going out towards the wild.

"Six?" She called out, seeing him stop and look at her. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"I am going to leave then return in the morning." He answered.

"You're not going to the inn?" She asked.

"No." He shook his head. A few thoughts crossed her mind, where did he sleep then if he didn't sleep in the inn? Did he sleep outside the walls?

"Do... do you sleep out in the forest?" She tilted her head.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Are you crazy?! It's incredibly dangerous out there!" She shook her arms frantically before rushing up to him.

"It is no concern to me." He stated. The two stared at one another for several quiet seconds before she sighed and rubbed her face a bit. She was stressed and slightly traumatized from the whole ordeal and she knew she couldn't actually talk to him because all he did was give those emotionless answers, well emotionless was pushing it a bit now since he wasn't _as _emotionless as before.

"Just... please be careful." She sighed quietly. He observed her for a few seconds before saying something.

"You are stressed." He stated.

"I guess I am. What gave you that impression?" She asked with a small tick mark on her head.

"You are not smiling like before, you're breathing is slightly labored, and you are not as perceptive as you usually are. I presume it is from having to be the one to lock up and being held hostage by an attacker. There is also the possibility that you have been waiting for my arrival and were stressing at the fact that I did not arrive at my usual time, which is in the morning." He briefed. Silence seemed to take over and she couldn't help but blink at what he said. All those things were correct.

"Y-Yeah... you pretty much stated all of my problems." She sighed.

"I see. I apologize if I have caused any discomfort." He apologized. Her eyes widened and she started to flail her arms around a bit at his sudden apology.

"N-No! No. You aren't the reason. It's just I've been stressing these last few weeks and there isn't anyone I can talk to." She said.

"..." He didn't say anything but just nod. It was silent and she coughed in her hand before rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

"If it's not too much to ask, can you walk me home and let me vent to you a bit." She asked while tapping her fingers together.

"..." He didn't say anything for a few seconds and he just stared at her.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I know you like to always be on the move and everything-" She started.

"It is fine." He interrupted her.

"It is?" She asked suddenly.

"It is. I am not going to leave until I have completed a bounty and collected my ammunition. Doing something like this is not a problem." He stated.

"... Thank you." She sighed in relief after a few seconds. The two of them walked down the street. Just as she said, she began to vent to him about her stress over the last few months and how it was beginning to wear her down a little bit. It started off small but eventually got to the point where she felt like her life wasn't really meaning anything at this point. She was constantly harassed by some people, threatened, gossiped about, and to top it all off she was lonely to a certain degree. Her roommate was gone half the time which meant she couldn't really talk to her and work was beginning to take a toll on her. True to his word, he just listened to her and let her vent to him about her problems. It gave him a basic idea how to solve her problem if he stopped by again and it was a different experience for the Spartan.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he did value her. She had been nothing but loyal and truthful to him after all these years. While he only visited a couple times a year, she was always the one person to greet him with a genuine smile and give him something to do. She didn't try to recruit him into anything and even stated that his status as an onyx level bounty hunter wouldn't be sent to any of the academies. If anything, she was more worried that he would overwork himself to death and often would be the one to tell him to rest even though he was fine. In reality he was fine because he had fought several days with barely any rest against the Covenant and still keep going. Though... it was nice to see someone care about him. Out of all the people he's encountered over the years, he could say that she was a friend. It took him years to realize what she was. A friend.

Years upon years of holding distrust towards people that he didn't know and the ones he did know made him put up a wall. The wall so tall and thick that not even a glassing could penetrate it. For the first time in years, someone had managed to get close to him. The wall wasn't broken, she hadn't even scratched the surface of it, but she did manage to get close enough to it and build up trust to where she could gain entry to it. That took a massive amount of effort and somehow she had managed to to that. For that reason right there, he respected her.

She could possibly be one of the only people that wasn't a Spartan to get close enough to him that he could call a friend. Civilians, Marines, and even ODST were people that were distant to him, but this woman right here is someone he could call a friend. It was an odd feeling but not an unpleasant one.

* * *

**Here I am everyone, with another chapter, yes I know so soon. Anyways, you may be wondering why and I'll tell you why, it's my birthday today and I feel like giving you all something in regards plus, I was bored so that's a factor. Now onto reviews because holy shit guys, you wrote a lot. I mean that literally, you guys wrote a lot and it actually fucked me up for like, a day. Here we go...**

**Sm0keyPanda: That's right.**

**matthew116: Right now, it's his eleventh year. This chapter is a year before canon so by that time he'll have to start worrying and stepping up his game in getting off planet. I also read that mark IV had the fifteen year fusion reactor and the later versions had longer but I don't know.**

**DannyPhantom619: Here is some more.**

**Lord Demolitions: Something will happen soon, don't worry.**

**daggercloak000: He has.**

**Arakile: I haven't given it much thought. Maybe? It certainly would be a topic I'd like to poke around with.**

**shadowless15: Thank you.**

**sacke110: Ozpin'll get fucked if he tries. Also, thank you for the review.**

**Josephi: Well, best of luck to you.**

**Guest: Here it is.**

**Reader: I'll try to maintain how Six currently is without butchering his character.**

**The Lone Swordswolf: Yeah, I think by the time I wrote Johnny Topside, I was so sick of that main character joined Beacon trope and I saw that a majority of the Halo crossovers were doing it so I wanted to do something different.**

**VGBlackwing: Wow, long review. I enjoy it though.**

**KneegearFakeget: Negative, Six only responds to the UNSC and you're welcome.**

**tbuck93: Thank you.**

**Jannne Rolfe Jalandoni: He still does it so he hasn't lost hope yet.**

**Thankfulclock50: Thank you.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: Neither did I but I got a message in my private messaging saying I basically stole the plot from the Mandalorian so I might as well apologize for those people who get butthurt about me writing something close to that.**

**Wrath of Vajra: Glad you enjoyed it and I'll try to keep Six's personality up. **

**Corvus Reborn: Thank you for reviewing.**

**PhoenixGuy: I wouldn't know where to put him if he was in the story.**

**Main117: Yeah, had to clear it up for some people.**

**Rookie059: Exactly.**

**KnowingEzmend: Yeah, I'm trying to do something about that and here's the next update.**

**UndeadLord22: There might be something that she does. When Six does find out Qrow is Raven's brother then... nothing can really save him.**

**dekuton: Thank you. As far as her name, yeah. She plays a significant role in the story which is why I want to give her a name, if she were to be forgotten then yeah I'd just keep her as guild girl and have no problem but I actually want to flesh out her character a bit more in this. As far as the reason why I said what I said about Ozpin in the author's note. I mainly wrote that in the chapter because I just wanted to put Ozpin in character but the author's note was for people that actually believed that Six would join him. Sorry if it confused you and seemed a little contradictory, I just wanted to put Ozpin into character in the story. I agree with you about Six joining Beacon, I seriously doubt that he'd be free of all the people he's killed.**

**Malgrath: Indeed.**

**InfernoKnightmare: I like the way you think.**

**Blaze1992: Hmm... I got nothing to say about that.**

**sceypt: I got a good chuckle out of that.**

**DomR1997: Well, happy late birthday to you.**

**Wolf: I don't know about all that. I'm sure if he would try to eliminate Salem seeing how she's threatening humanity but I do believe that he'd actually want nothing to do with Ozpin.**

**Firefox24x: Thank you, and I will.**

**Malgrath: I'm glad I had supplied with that crossover, even if it's not a legitimate one.**

**darkromdemon: He's not. I stated before that he won't and he will never. Six is strictly loyal to the UNSC, it's practically his life at this point. Everything he does is to ensure that he survives and is able to get off the planet to report it to the UNSC.**

**DARK31D0U: Thank you, I will try to keep this up. I don't know about the arsenal thing. I might? I don't know, it all depends on the future chapters.**

**Double2cat: Wow, like that positive vibe, keep it up. Thank you by the way.**

**scottusa1: Thanks, mate. Laters.**

**Haloman6494: Equipment is still an iffy. Members, most likely not.**

**The Baz: Glad you liked it.**

**isco657721: Glad you enjoyed it. If Salem will try to talk to him, I'd be surprised considering what he did to Cinder. Though, she might still try to.**

**NobleSixFan: It would be cool. It'd be pretty cool...**

**Bookslayer: I honestly forgot about that episode. Jesus... you made me feel old for a second. About her being cold to her parents, probably not but she will be influenced by Six in the future.**

**DashingxRogue: I know I did. It will continue to happen so fear not. Thanks for the review.**

**Wow, that was a lot. You guys wrote so much that I had to take like a half hour break from that section alone. I'm here to say a few things just in case, one is that I'm sorry if this chapter isn't up to quality like the previous one or the one before that and two, I just wanted to say have a good day everyone. **

**In other words, onto Six's character. You guys seem to be liking this lone wolf route a lot and I'm here to tell you that I'm not going to be breaking off from it. The part where he considers the guild girl a friend, now before you all jump the gun on this, you all have to consider a few things... it's literally taken him years upon years to get to trust her as a friend. Six had been alone for countless years of nothing but distrust towards others so having at least someone he cares about on Remnant could possibly help him a little bit. He's damaged from all the years of combat and nothing is going to change that but the very least is that he has someone to talk to, even if he only sees her three times a year. He saw Noble Team as comrades that he'd stick his neck out for but he sees the guild girl as a close friend that he'd stick his neck out for also.**

**To be honest, I'd say this is developing his character a little bit. I mean, it's humanizing him a little bit but not to the point where his entire attitude will change. What I'm trying to say is that I'm not trying to butcher what's going good. Other than that, I don't have much to say other than if this chapter is lacking in quality then I'm sorry and have a wonderful day, everyone. See you guys the next chapter, goodbye.**


	9. Chapter 9: A familiar face

At this point in time, Six's favorite settlement had seen him as their hero. Whenever he was in town and did bounties, they felt a certain sense of relief and comfort fill their hearts. He often did jobs that nobody wanted or didn't have a high enough reward but that didn't matter to him. The thing that mattered was that it kept him busy and on the move constantly while earning him a steady source of income to buy more supplies. This was the way he survived. Staying out of the reach of countless people was how he survived all these years. He didn't care about politics, it was an unnecessary headache he didn't wish to deal with. Going to teach the academies was absolutely off the table and the amount of times he had been told that started to reach a couple dozen. The academies were untrustworthy in his opinion, something about them just screamed rotten secrecy to him. While he wouldn't teach at any academy, he did offer assistance when helping train some of the frontier towns.

All he did was give them lessons whenever he stayed longer than a week. Nothing special, just some basic maneuvers and shooting lessons that would help them survive in against a Grimm attack. It proved to be beneficial since some settlements were more prepared than others and they were often the ones that provided Six with a place to stay if needed. Out of the countless settlements that he had come across over the years, there were a couple that he enjoyed being in. While he remained distant towards people like usual, he wasn't particularly cold to them. Some picked up on this while others didn't. He wasn't rude to people, it was more along the lines of he didn't know how to interact with them. A loner at heart was what he was and would always be.

He went through the market of people and looked at some of the stands before trading some of the items he had collected around the world. For example, he noticed that certain herbs that grow in Atlas are extremely valuable in Vacuo or a certain type of mineral from Mistral was valuable in Atlas. These things became useful knowledge when there weren't bounties available yet or were taken. Different items held different values in some places. He traded some of the herbs from Atlas with a shopkeeper before accepting the lien and leaving shortly after. Trading was one of the main reasons he knew how to deal with lien. It was just as simple as the current currency system of the UNSC and all the other worlds but somehow less advanced. Remnant overall was just... so far back as far as technology and how things were ran, it always made him sigh in exasperation when he remembered. It was like they couldn't figure out that there were other resources other than Dust.

Days started to slip by and those eventually turned to weeks of being outside in the frontier, that he ended up in his favorite settlement. He preferred this one over some of the others for several reasons; it had a place he could get supplies, bounties, and the one person he could call a friend. Although they were polar opposites, they somehow had a professional relationship that seemed to work. He enjoyed solitude and silence, preferred to be the one who did things by himself, and always be on the move. She preferred the company of others, working together, and only moving if she had no choice. Somehow he was her favorite person and he didn't know why. Despite never seeing him for months at a time and never seeing his face, she always gave that bright smile whenever he showed up. It unnerved him sometimes.

As he neared the settlement's north gate, he came across two guards. They didn't even need to stop him to know who he was, all they did was just wave at him while he nodded in silence before entering the settlement. This was one of the more peaceful settlements in the area, mainly because he constantly did bounties to keep him busy and to give them breathing room. This allowed them to thrive and start to expand a bit in recent years, nothing much, just enough to accommodate for the growing numbers. Like always, his first stop was the gunsmith to craft some ammo with the older man, the next stop was the store to purchase supplies, the one after that was to check on Myne and her family, and the last one was the guild.

It took a few hours but he eventually restocked his ammunition and crafted a surplus for the future while staying silent as the older man cussed up a storm. The older man took a liking to him despite him barely saying anything, he made it clear that Six was practically kin in the settlement at this point. This alone made the Spartan slightly uncomfortable but what made him more uncomfortable is that the older man started getting emotional. He kept stating that Six was like the son he always wanted, and this action made the Spartan leave in an uncomfortable manner. Six was never one to deal with emotions very well, he had trouble displaying his own, so what made everyone think he was good at comforting others? He didn't enjoy being called anyone's son because it made him think about his past. It was a miracle that he even remembered what his own parents looked like...

He didn't remember his name nor much about his life before he was placed into the Spartan III program. He didn't remember what his parents' names were or what they were like but he did remember their faces vaguely. He remembered when they hid him somewhere before disappearing, but seeing how they never came back and the UNSC found him shortly after, he had guessed the worst. His memories then drifted to when the UNSC found him, a boy who's face was painted with indifference at the carnage around him. Even when he was being trained, he never showed much of anything. His tone was straight to the point, almost cold sometimes, and his face never showed an ounce of anything. There were other Spartan III's that had tried to include him in their groups but he would always drift away from them eventually. While some would charge in recklessly at first when they started training, Six was already thinking how to take his target down in the most efficient way. Older servicemen took note of this, how he would watch them from the back then use the knowledge he observed to his advantage. It unnerved a lot of them.

As he got older and the training got more harsh, others started to realize how dangerous he was at times. He never spoke and only gave a grunt of pain when he would take damage from some of the stronger Spartans. He wasn't the tallest or strongest but he was one of the smarter ones that was a force to be reckoned with when the time came. Pretty soon when he was ready for combat, he was immediately pulled from Beta company. Years became a blur as he did solo missions that would earn him the moniker of personal Grim Reaper. He had done things he isn't proud of but it mattered not. Orders were orders and he wouldn't dare to disobey them. The missions became more brutal as he got older but he always survived in the end; maybe it was his tenacity or his training? Sometimes he didn't know. All he knew is that much of his file was covered in black ink and he earned Hyper Lethal Vector.

He was told that there was only one other Spartan had reached that. From his assumption, it was a Spartan II. They were always the ones that were practically invincible half the time. Able to kill Covenant by the thousands and come out on top. Him? He was expendable and nothing would change that. No moniker, no rank, nothing would change the fact that he was an expendable copy of a Spartan II. It was easier to forget about him, not them.

"Six..." The guild girl called out. His eyes blinked and he looked around to see an empty guild. He must have zoned out, this was a problem.

"I apologize." He said.

"It's fine. I'm the last one here anyways... got a little worried when you walked in and just stood there silently. I thought something happened to you." She said.

"I assure you, I am fine." He replied curtly.

"You never change, do you?" She smiled a bit. There was only one reason he was here and that was to receive work, but there wasn't any yet. "We don't really have bounties at the moment." She sighed.

"Understood." He nodded then left the building and waited for her to do the same. It took her a few seconds to grab her bag then the keys before locking the building up and walking towards him. This had become the norm between them. Every time he stopped by and she was closing, he would wait for her and walk her home while letting her vent. This served as a good way to figure out what problems she was dealing with and he would offer a solution. It also enhanced his civilian interaction a bit. Countless stars were out tonight and the moon provided illumination for the two.

"I'd like to see what's up there." She said as she looked up to the stars. He followed her gaze and nodded.

"... I will take you up there one day." He said. She had to hold her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh before she couldn't take it anymore, and let out a soft one.

"I fail to see what is funny." He tilted his head. Humor was the one thing he was terrible at. It's been countless years since he's even laughed, much less smiled.

"Nothing, just you. I do wonder though... if there's life out there, you think they're looking at us?" She asked then looked at him.

"...Possibly." He answered. A simple hum was what she had replied with before they continued their walk. He couldn't tell her that he came from beyond the stars. There was nothing he could tell her that he wasn't native to Remnant, that there were planets of her wildest dreams out beyond the dark sky. How a war was possibly still going on and he was part of the faction meant to defend humanity and to ensure its survival. Compared to the rest of the galaxy and every human colonized planet, Remnant had it easy. Grimm were almost laughable compared to some of the wildlife he's met on other planets. It was easy to not fear anything anymore when half of your emotions were gone from an early age. Emotions were a weakness that he could not afford to have... it's one of the reasons he cut himself off from them. Emotional weakness clouded his focus and that clouded his judgement, which led to mistakes. Six was not known to make mistakes twice.

"You know, you're one of the first people to actually hear what I have to say and not judge." She said.

"Is that so?" He asked.

"Yeah... I mean, I work at the guild to get people to realize that there are more threats than just Grimm. That there are bad people out there and that others need help, but half the time I just get blown off. I mean, just last week some younger huntsmen tried talking down on me because I don't go out there and fight Grimm. Just because I don't physically go out there doesn't mean I don't know what's going on. I hear about these things all day long!" She raised her arms. He stayed silent as she ranted. She may not have noticed it but he noticed that whenever she ranted to him, her stress seemed to lessen the next day.

"They are young. Younger individuals are constantly blinded by their pride. All it takes is one situation to throw them into reality. Sooner or later they will realize that you are more knowledgeable of the current status." He said.

"Why is it that you barely show a hint of emotions, yet you always seem to make things better?" She asked.

"I do not know." He answered. It was silent for a minute before she spoke up.

"One of these days, I want to get out of here." She said.

"I assumed you enjoyed it here?" He asked, watching as she smiled sadly.

"I mean, I do... but it feels so cooped up sometimes, you know? Everyday I work my butt off and still get treated with disrespect by some. Some just hit on me like I'm some kind of clueless girl that constantly enjoys attention, while others just treat me like I'm some kind of naive girl." She said.

"I see." He said quietly.

"That day you showed up was one of the reasons I stayed." She said quietly, making him look at her. "That bounty you took was up there for a year and nobody was taking it, despite the reward being a lot and the fact that people were dying due to it. As much as I tried to persuade people to do it, nobody would because they didn't care. Some said that as long as it never left the cave then it was fine. Yet... people always went missing due to it. Then you came along and handled it without a care in the world." She said.

"..." He just looked at her and it made her continue.

"From that point on, when you said you'd drop by again... I knew you were different from the others. You didn't care about ranking, status, or even how much lien you would make off of it. You just did the job without saying anything. That action gave us breathing room for the next few months. I don't know if you know this but you inspired a lot of people that day." She said.

"How?" He asked.

"People saw what you were doing and started to do more. Stopped relying so much on Huntsmen and Huntresses so much. When you saved Myne five years ago is really when people started to truly do good around here." She said as she reached her door to her apartment complex.

"..." He didn't say anything but just watched as she turned to look at him.

"What I'm trying to say is thank you. You may be a monster in some people's eyes but you'll always be a hero is ours." She closed her eyes and smiled brightly at him. He nodded curtly and watched as she made it inside before fishing in his bag and reaching inside. Tucked away was a folded piece of paper, to which he unfolded, and revealed it to be a crude drawing of him. Myne had managed to muster up the strength to deliver this to him at the gate one day. It took all her energy to walk that distance but she managed to deliver it to him. She called him a hero, as did the guild girl.

"..." He didn't say anything because he didn't need to. Nothing would change the fact that he wasn't a hero. Heroes saved everyone and beat the bad guy in the end. Six wasn't one and he'd never be one. He wasn't a monster either because monsters just creep in the dark and wait for their victims. No, he wasn't either of these things... he was the one that the monsters were afraid of in the dark. He was the wolf that crept around the world and drove fear into the worst of the worst. Nothing would change that.

* * *

The next day when he stepped into the guild, he immediately noticed that everyone was crowding around the bounty board. All of them seemed excited and were eager to complete a bounty or two. Some saw him ignore the crowd and go to a table and stand by it. The newer ones whispered about him, not knowing that he could hear them perfectly fine. The older guild members made comments but chose to ignore him. Despite all his years of stopping by the settlement and earning his onyx rank, he never took off his cloak. Others saw how dirty it was and usually judged his character based on that.

"I guess they'll let anyone be an onyx rank now." A blonde woman commented.

"Leave him be. As long as we don't bother him, he won't bother us." A man dismissed as he turned back to the board. Six just waited patiently as the large group near the bounty board picked the ones they wanted to do. The next several minutes was spent issuing the bounties to the group or the individual. People left shortly after and he made his way up to the board after everyone left and looked at it. He noticed that there were a couple of low paying ones but he didn't care, it gave him something to do. As he plucked a bounty off the board and went up to the desk, a blip appeared on his radar.

"Wolf!" A familiar voice called out. He turned around to see a familiar person dive at him with a happy expression on her face before he moved to the side suddenly. She crashed face first into the counter and groaned before turning around to look at him from the ground. He sighed when he realized who it was, her white cloak all too familiar.

"Why'd you move?" She rubbed her face.

"I thought you were going to attack me." He answered.

"I was going to hug you!" She cried out

"..." He stared at her silently.

"..." She did the same. Several long, silent seconds seemed to pass by and the guild girl and her assistant just stared at the sight before them.

"Why were you trying to hug me?" He asked.

"Why would I attack you!?" She shouted as she stood up.

"...What are you doing here, Mrs. Rose?" He asked. It had been twelve years since he's seen her face and to say that it wasn't welcome would be a lie. There was nothing wrong with her, aside from the fact that she was noisy and needlessly animated at times, but he could go the rest of his life without seeing her.

"I'm glad you asked; tall, dark, and mysterious. I've come to check on the status of the settlement." She pointed at him.

"It is fine." He answered, then finished getting his bounties verified. When he stepped out of the guild and began walking to the street, he sighed when he knew she was following him.

"So... while I have to check on the status of the town, I also need to-" She started.

"If it is trying to get me to work for Beacon, then leave." He interrupted. A shocked look adorned her face suddenly; how did he even know about what she was going to say? She didn't even finish her sentence.

"W-Wait, how did you even know?" She asked.

"Headmaster Ozpin came to me five years ago, along with two others. He offered me a position at Beacon and I turned him down. You also stated that you worked for him, so I assume he sent you here on a mission to recruit me. I am not interested in Beacon nor will I ever be." He stated bluntly.

"Can you at least consider it?" She asked.

"No." He answered.

"Come on. I didn't travel all this way to be rejected! Do you know how long it took for me to get here? Especially after dealing with so many Grimm?" She asked as she followed him out of the settlement.

"Long." He answered curtly. His tone never changed once, it was the same distrustful tone he used when dealing with everyone else, but the guild girl. He didn't trust Summer Rose. That wasn't to say that he hated her, he didn't trust her one bit and that would continue to be the case.

"That was a rhetorical question." She deadpanned.

"..." He said nothing and just walked in the location of his bounty. It wasn't anything special, just a simple Beowolf bounty that could be handled when he reached his location. The guild didn't even need to send anyone out to see if he was lying because they knew him long enough to know he didn't leave anything. He never left survivors, ever.

"I can already see it. You're wondering why I'm following you." She said.

"I am. Most likely to report what I do to your superior." He answered. She didn't say anything and he just sighed before stopping and looking at her. Just because he wasn't rude to her didn't mean he liked being followed. It was bad enough that she worked for Ozpin, things just got worse when he was constantly being trailed by the old man.

"Just... consider it, please." She said quietly.

"No." He said stoically. Why was she being so persistent about him working at Beacon? There was a reason as to why he didn't go near the city or Beacon. They would chain him down and it didn't benefit him in the slightest. Working for a foreign power went against everything he was about. Working for any of the academies or the military on this planet guaranteed that he would never get off. Plus, he was sure that the military in Atlas would execute him for all the soldiers he sent to the grave.

"Why not?!" She shouted suddenly.

"I do not trust you, nor do I trust Beacon. If I were to join Beacon then I would be severely limited in what I am able to accomplish. Stop following me, Mrs. Rose. Go home." He answered. She started to try and convince him for the past couple of hours, not noticing the day slip away. So caught up in trying to convince him to go to Beacon, she barely noticed he had started to set up camp. Every time she tried to convince him, he still responded with a flat no.

"... Fine. Be that way." She huffed then began to stomp away. She knew this was useless, despite her telling Ozpin that he wasn't interested, the older man didn't listen. After he saved her from death, all she wanted to do was repay him somehow. He was one of the reasons she got to go home to her girls. Tai was worried sick about her, as were her girls but she made it back. She knew the importance of her mission but she started to take less each passing year, only doing some in order to keep the income flowing in. She often told the girls stories of a man who was like a wolf, always on the move for the next location. Never stopping for anything. She would always smile as their eyes sparkled brightly the more she told them.

"Mrs. Rose." He called out.

"What?!" She snapped.

"You are going the wrong way." He pointed out. An embarrassed blush crept up on her face and she started to storm off in the opposite direction before she realized one tiny thing... it was night out. How long had she been following him? Trying to convince him to go to Beacon?

"It's night?!" She cried out.

"It is. You have been following me for the last several hours." He said.

"Ugh!" She screamed in frustration. He sighed quietly then looked around for a fallen log to sit on. It took a minute, but he eventually found one and sat on it while he got the fire started. She was about to start heading back to the settlement before a loud growl echoed from her stomach. He watched as she sat on a rock near the fire and didn't look at him, puffing her cheeks. From the corner of her eye, she saw that he had spread his cloak out and all the contents out of his bag. She saw how much materials he had and wondered how long he had been on the move. Some of those materials he currently had on him were worth a fortune in some parts of the world. Another growl escaped her stomach.

"Are you going to pout like a child, or are you going to ask for food?" He asked.

"I am fine." She huffed.

"You are lying." He stated as another growl escaped her stomach.

"I said I'm fine." She puffed her cheeks and turned away from him.

"Stop acting like a child." He said as he set some food near her. It wasn't anything special, just some canned stew. There was a spoon on the top of it and he went back to his spot, sitting on the log then tilting his helmet up slightly to eat. She huffed once again before taking the can and opening it, silently eating the contents. She was mad, usually when she was mad, she just avoided everyone and pouted. Her family thought it was funny to see such a skilled huntress pout like a child, but she forgot Six wasn't like that. He was the same as he was twelve years ago, straight to the point an no nonsense attitude.

"I don't appreciate being called a child." She murmured.

"Then stop acting like one." He replied.

"Wow... rude." She commented.

"..." He just stared at her before shaking his head. Sometimes he forgot that she was like this, noisy and always had something to say. She was kind and empathetic around civilians, and possibly her family, but here she was just a chatterbox. Pretty soon her angry attitude left and she began to talk about what has happened the last twelve years. It started off how she got to see her daughters grow up, how her oldest daughter got accepted into Beacon, as did her younger one. He noticed how she squeezed the can tightly when she told him how her youngest fought an international criminal. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she began to state how she punished her youngest for even fighting someone like him. He listened as she told how her youngest managed to help bring an international criminal behind bars with Glynda Goodwitch, then was awarded early admission into Beacon. She then told him how proud of her she was. All he did was listen to her, maintaining his gear. If it were him, he would keep the youngest one away from Beacon but he had no say in the matter.

"So... who's that girl you were talking to?" She asked, placing her chin on her hands while looking at him. He looked at her and saw that she looked like a teenager, ready for gossip.

"She is a friend." He stated.

"What's this? The Wolf has a friend? I thought you were all about being alone." She quipped.

"Companionship is a healthy human trait. While I do prefer being alone, having someone to talk to is comforting." He replied calmly.

"Jeez, could've said it with a little more emotion." She murmured.

"Understood, I will try to work on it." He said in the same tone.

"I like how you say you'll work on it and you do the opposite." She jabbed her spoon at him.

"..." He said nothing and just turned back to his gear.

"Well, I got what I came for." She sighed.

"What is that?" He asked.

"Information." She answered, making him stop and stare at her. The air around them seemed tense and she felt gravity suddenly weigh her down before she looked at him.

"What kind of information?" He asked. A flinch slightly overtook her when he asked in that tone, it was a cold, defensive tone that put her on edge. Things were starting to escalate quickly and she really didn't want to be on the receiving end of him. She had heard what he does to people sometimes.

"Just stuff that Ozpin already knows. I promise." She said quickly. The tense feeling turned to a suffocating one before it lifted when he looked away from her. She felt her chest tighten a bit before she released a breath that was held unknowingly. She forgot how scary he was at times.

"I think it is best if we part ways, Mrs. Rose." He said.

"Now?" She asked.

"No, when we return to the settlement." He answered. It went quiet for a while as the two of them just stared at the fire before he packed his items up and put them in his bag. She wanted to say something but felt that it would just worsen the mood.

"Listen... I still have to report to Ozpin about you but I'll just report the things he already knows about you. I won't tell him about your relationship with the girl. I know you care for her. As much as I like Ozpin, he tends to exploit those kind of things. So I won't tell him about your friend. Think of it as payback for letting me see my girls again." She said sincerely before setting her head down and turning away from him.

"..." He didn't say anything but just stared at her for a few minutes then turned his head back to the fire. He went against a sturdy tree and leaned against it. All he did was bring out his shotgun and let it rest against his legs before leaning his head against the trees. He looked up at the stars and sighed quietly.

He needed to get off this planet.

* * *

When he woke Summer up, they finished his bounty in silence. Not a word was said the entire time. She knew that she was on thin ice with him and he wasn't in the mood to even attempt to start a conversation. Several hours went by as the two of them walked with their hoods up. She pulled hers down when she entered the settlement while he kept his up. She saw countless people wave at him and smile while he just nodded at them. A part of her saw that these people valued him greatly and would possibly go extraordinary lengths to make sure no one bothered him. When the two of them entered the guild, she saw how the girl at the front desk smiled at his return while he just nodded. It was obvious that the girl cared about him since she kept asking if he was alright.

He may not have shown it but Summer did see that he cared about the woman, he just didn't know how to display it. The longer she walked and observed him, the more she understood about his character. He was always on the move, always traveling and thinking about his next course of action. Helping towns whenever he could seemed to be the best course of action. She had heard stories how towns felt safer because some mysterious man in a cloak saved them, stopped by on occasions and gave them breathing room. There were also stories how he's killed huntsmen and huntresses, something she never hoped to invoke the side of. She knew he was skilled, an expert in a variety of fields. It sometimes scared her to hear how dangerous he was, yet never rose his weapon against a civilian.

He was basically a living local legend. People in the city rarely ever heard of him due to their environment, but people in the frontier had basically created a legend out of him. That he was this invincible hero that always won in the end. Despite not being able to defend every settlement, he did do what he could against a Grimm attack. He was more commonly known in the outer settlements and than in some of the inner ones. One of her favorite ones that she recently heard of him, although it took about two years to confirm if it was actually true or not, was that he traveled across the entire Vale continent to find one little girl. That took dedication, and a lot of experience to track someone with barely any information.

A buzz on her scroll made her look down to see Ozpin contacting her. She sighed when she realized that she had to report now. While she couldn't lie, she also wouldn't tell anything about him to the Headmaster. She intended to keep her end of the deal, and it served as repayment for Six saving her years ago.

_"Did you find anything?" _Ozpin asked.

_"No. Just the things you already know." _She replied.

_"Anything else?" _He pushed.

_"Oz... he literally is the same as when you encountered him. He barely talks, is always on the defensive, and is constantly moving. If he hasn't changed in the past five years then he won't in the future." _She explained. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips at his next question.

_"What about the offer?" _He asked.

_"He shot it down. He declined it before I even got to finish my sentence. He's not interested." _She typed. She didn't notice that Six was looking at her, looking at the screen through the reflection from her eyes. He made sure that she was keeping her word in not ratting him out and it showed because before he knew it, she had ended the conversation with Ozpin. The man annoyed him greatly, he was persistent in trying to get him to join Beacon. This was just evidence that the man was still trying. He was caught staring at Summer because when she looked up, she just saw him looking at her silently. It was beginning to be uncomfortable as time passed.

"Six... you're staring." The guild girl said.

"..." He didn't say anything but just turned away from her and grabbed the reward off the counter. Summer blinked when she heard that, she never heard what his name was. She didn't think it'd be something as trivial as a number, she just always called him wolf seeing how he had that wolf emblem on his armor. Was that his actual name? That didn't even really tell her anything about him, it just brought up more questions. She did gather information but it was already things that they knew about him. Hearing that he was called nothing but a simple number just brought more mystery to him. While she would love to stay and help out, it seemed that everyone had taken all the work, which meant she wasn't needed at the moment. It was time to depart and head home. The girls would be getting ready for a new chapter in their lives and she wasn't going to miss it.

"Well, I have to go. I'm sorry I couldn't help out more." Summer said.

"That's alright. We've been okay these last few months without huntsmen and huntresses. We'll be alright." The guild girl smiled.

"Again, sorry. Also... Six." Summer called out.

"..." He said nothing but look at her from over his shoulder.

"If you encounter Yang and Ruby, they're my daughters, can you make sure they don't get out of hand?" She asked.

"I will not make any promises." He said.

"I'm not asking you to babysit them forever but... make sure they at least learn from you if they encounter you." She pleaded.

"As I have stated before, I cannot make any promises. If I encounter them then I will offer advice but I will not have them follow me." He said.

"That's as good as I'm going to get... I'll see you around, Wolf." She smirked while calling him the nickname she gave him. He nodded and watched as she left the guild silently. The tension in his system seemed to lessen a bit when she closed the door. There was no guarantee that he'd see her again. She proved to be troublesome, although he didn't hate her, he didn't necessarily take a immediate liking to her. At most, she was interesting and annoying at the worst.

"Someone you know?" The guild girl asked.

"I know her but I do not trust her." He answered truthfully.

"Wow, a little judgmental?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No. She is too childish for a woman of her profession." He clarified.

"Not everyone is as emotionless as you, Six." She shook her head and sighed. The air felt tense and she noticed that he was just staring at her for a minute. Anyone else would've been unnerved by this but she just sighed, she had known him long enough to know that this was just how he was. This went on for another minute and she opened her mouth to speak but he beat her to it.

"I will be gone for some time." He said stoically.

"You're always gone for some time." She retorted.

"... I mean longer than the usual time frame." He added. A deep silence seemed to bask over them as they stared at one another.

"How long?" She asked after a minute of silence.

"I do not know." He answered. He couldn't tell her that he was investigating something. That something was responding to his signal that he kept sending out. It wasn't UNSC or from Remnant, it was something else.

"Oh..." She murmured. He was usually gone for months at a time and would often visit whenever he could, but this time it seemed like he was serious. Well, he was always serious but he actually didn't know. Personally, that soured her mood a bit. As quiet as he was, he did provide her with somebody to vent to whenever she was feeling down. Never judged her for her hobbies, activities, or her attitude. He was a good friend of hers and to see him leave always brought her mood down.

"I will return as usual." He said.

"Yeah, I know you will. Just stay safe, okay?" She asked. He nodded at her then began to walk towards the door. She saw him look over his shoulder and nod at her once while she waved at him, watching as he exited shortly after. There were times when she wished he would at least stay a month or two, just helping out. It's not like the inn would care if he decided to settle down for a while. Deep down she knew, she knew that he was always on the move.

Nothing on Remnant could cage him. It's just how he was.

* * *

**Hello, everyone. Jesus Christ... I don't have much to say other than thank you for your patience and support. I say this because holy shit, you guys left a serious fuck ton of reviews. I'm serious. I get off for two weeks and come back to see you guys left almost sixty reviews. I'm not complaining too much but it's just a lot to take in. It's... actually kind of unnerving to be honest, not used to this kind of thing. Enough about that, let's just get to discussing them.**

**DireProphet: Thank you.**

**KneegearFakeget: Thank you, mate.**

**Sm0keyPanda: Yeah, I'm trying to keep his character like how it is but expand upon it a little bit.**

**alertpoet91: Thank you.**

**Shifter2009: Thanks.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: I hope so too.**

**Redbarchetta28: Thank you.**

**Wrath of Vajra: That'd truly be a frightening thing.**

**UndeadLord22: Six does know about Aura, he just doesn't care about it. The topic of aura is considered a broken concept to him. He knows about these things but sees them as illogical and always considers the factors of people having them.**

**willumman: Thank you, I'll try to keep your attention.**

**Reader: Thanks, but I don't deserve that rating. It's too high. I'll settle for decent.**

**Daoist3lives: Thank you, and you're welcome.**

**Guest: That he is.**

**Gamermann22: He may or may not, it all depends.**

**Lord Demolitions: Meh, I was in the mood to write and managed to produce it.**

**PhoenixGuy: I'll see.**

**Malgrath: She adores him.**

**CheesusChrist15: I'll try to improve upon it.**

**dekuton: I'll take what you wrote into consideration, thank you for pointing out the flaws in a civilized and polite manner. I hope this chapter at least is of your liking somewhat.**

**InfernoKnightmare: Same, I'm glad we can.**

**spartan-140: Thank you, I'll try to keep your attention.**

**VGBlackwing: She might. Thanks for the review, I enjoy the ones you write sometimes.**

**darkromdemon: That would be a treat, wouldn't it. I'm glad I could keep your attention.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: I do most of the time.**

**Czechus: Yeah, he holds no room for error and is always sure to either maim his enemies or kill them. I also do want to flesh out Myne's character more as the story progresses. Thanks for that review.**

**semsas: I'll improve on it.**

**Guest: Here's another one at the two weeks mark. Well, this chapter takes about a few weeks before the canon so...**

**Guest: I do, I really do but I don't know what to name her.**

**scottusa1: Thanks for the review, laters.**

**negronomicon: Thank you.**

**the-lost-memories6: I wouldn't say it's a Six x Guild girl thing, because that's what I'm not trying to do. Though I'll let your imagination run wild. Kind of the reason I make these stories, just let the people who enjoy it let their thoughts run wild.**

**daggercloak000: I won't keep any promises. I'm trying not to shed too much of the story in the author's note.**

**Guest: Thank you, have a good day.**

**Blaze1992: The first volume will. It's set up different though, everything's pretty much still the same with the exception of the Dust store robbery.**

**sacke110: Thanks, also yes about the time skip. I figured a lot of you were just about ready for canon to hit and I've hit the pacing just right. I wanted to flesh out the backstory of Six's time on Remnant and how he became a legend. Anyways, thanks for reviewing.**

**shadowless15: I mean, it was okay. Don't really celebrate it anymore but who cares about that? My goal is to give you guys content, so here it is.**

**SalinorTheDrake: Thank you, I'll work harder to give you decent chapters.**

**Chase15T: Thought I'd try heading away from that trope. Mix things up a bit.**

**Thankfulclock50: It's somewhat similar, yes. Well, I hope this chapter answers your question if only a little bit. As for the fight scenes, I've been trying to improve upon them. Fight scenes were never my forte but I do try to be as descriptive as possible and as clear as possible. I don't really hold it against you if you don't follow them sometimes, it just means I need to improve a little. As for you being an author, I'd say just go for it. Starting off is always hard but it gets easier over time, plus I'm sure you'd be a wonderful author. Don't worry about leaving a long review, it's fine.**

**Dovahwolf13: Indeed I am.**

**Phantomdeath777: Appreciate it.**

**Malgrath: Well, there are plenty of people who are in their thirties and still in top shape, I think it's just how well you take care of your body.**

**OmegaDelta: He'll manage. As for the signal, I can't say anything. You'll just have to wait for the next chapter.**

**captaindickscratcher: That's a possibility for all those factors to be. Six has created quite the fearsome rumor of himself over the last twelve years.**

**The Baz: I would be to.**

**Mortarion The Death Lord: Alright, you do you. No harm in having a little imagination.**

**RandomDude122: I'll try to keep having you enjoy it. Since I'm going the older Six route for this story, Six is officially thirty-two years old right now. As for the power supply, I can't say anything.**

**Josephi: Indeed. The only reason I posted it that fast was because I literally had nothing to do.**

**Double1cat: Six is thirty-two years old by this time, and no, it won't affect the plot too much.**

**Malgrath: I'll look into that story.**

**DARK31D0US: I wouldn't say a warm manner, but more of a calm one. A little bit before the intros.**

**KnowingEzmend: Calm down, mate. I just have more on my plate now. None of my stories are going to be abandoned, especially not this one.**

**Atryx10: I don't know. Thanks. About that fish thing, I found that out after I posted it. Here's another chapter. Also, I don't mind you reviewing, just don't post five in a row. I don't care if you spread it out as time passes, but like I said, don't write five in a row. Things like that bug me. I don't mean to sound like an asshole but that's just how I am.**

**engineer2172: Affirmative.**

**Guest: I'll think of something. That topic is kind of iffy with me.**

**human dragon: Didn't mean to but it just sort of drifted to that. Also, here's another chapter.**

**isco657721: Like I said before, that topic is still iffy with me.**

**Ghostly: Negative, Six is completely alone on this one. He's the only UNSC member on Remnant.**

**Dased22: Affirmative.**

**Hyjaxx: I'll try to keep it that way.**

**Wow... that was a lot. Not that that's a bad thing but this took a while to write. So I'd like to say a few things before I end it off here. First, I apologize if this is not to your liking, I'm not perfect and will never be perfect. My stories are purely for entertainment and some people might enjoy it, some might not, but I'll still right. Second, thanks to every one of you who have stuck with me this long, it really means a lot to me. Third, you guys are special to me, as cheesy as that sounds, I truly do mean it. And finally, I have no idea what I'm going to name the guild girl.**

**I've thought about it for a while, I know some of you want me to keep calling her that but it's kind of getting repetitive to me sometimes. I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to flesh out her character. A certain reviewer brought this up, that if her role didn't hold any significance in the story then I'd keep her the same. I wholeheartedly agreed with them, that if her role didn't increase then she'd be still called the guild girl, but it did. I want to give her a name but I don't know what to call her. **

**Also, another note. Everyone, I really don't care if you guys review. It's no big deal if you do or don't, but please don't write several back to back. I don't know why but it bothers me sometimes when I see the same person write several in a row. That's really all I have to say for now. So, in my final parting message before I head off, have a good one. I mean it everyone. I'm sorry if this chapter is lacking in quality and it doesn't fit your expectations but be glad I'm still posting.**

**Anyways, take it easy everyone and have a good day. I will catch you all on the flip side. Goodbye, good people.**


	10. Chapter 10: Gathering information

Leaving the settlement was the natural way of things. He came and did work, checked up to make sure everything was alright, then he left shortly after. This was how things were supposed to be, and they would continue to be the same. He spent nearly all his lien on supplies and stuffed his bag to the brim before heading out into the wildlands. Out here, there were no rules. Anything went, which is why the more violent side of humanity and faunus shined. Out here was his hunting grounds, and people in the frontier of Vale knew it. Mistral knew it too but never experienced it as much as Vale did. His status varied in different places, sometimes good and sometimes bad. It didn't matter to him.

The faint signal had caught his attention again. Every time he sent a signal to the UNSC, there was a response back from something else. It interested him greatly and he decided it would be beneficial towards himself if he were to investigate it. While he did do the bounties when he stopped in settlements, he started to stay out of them more often to investigate the signal. Vacuo was the furthest away from it as was Mistral, but Vale and Atlas had the strongest points, it was difficult to pinpoint where it was on the two continents. He didn't send too many signals often to avoid someone from Remnant picking up on it, but he did send more than he had in the past. This was interesting and he would dare to admit that it he had thoroughly enjoyed it, even if it was a minuscule amount of the feeling. The areas that usually had the strongest signal were barren of any settlements or military bases. There was also the fact that Grimm populations in that certain area were lower than others.

He felt as if he were coming close to something though. That was part of the satisfaction of investigating this. For the first time in years, he had felt intrigued by something that wasn't bounties nor traveling but something that would truly impress him.

Another problem he was facing, the amount of power he had for his suit was becoming a concerning topic. It was estimated that he had approximately three years left but that was a rough estimate on his part. He needed to get off the planet sooner than later if his armor were to become a burden. Push comes to shove... he destroys the only thing that ties him to the UNSC to keep Remnant from obtaining it. He'd rather destroy it than let them get their hands on it, it belonged to the UNSC as did he and nothing would change that fact. He had two options as of now, find Raven Branwen and have her cough up the slipspace technology or investigate the source of the signal and hope it will assist him in getting off the planet. Both were paths he would take, just in case one were to fail and the other succeed.

Right now though, he still had time. While it was passing by at a moderate rate, he still had time to prepare himself should the need arise. At the moment, he was currently completing his bounty... which was struggling against the binds he had subdued them in. He was in a bar in one of the more vile settlements in Atlas when he found his target being harassed by three cutthroats. The three men attacked him but he quickly eliminated them non-lethally before taking his bounty target. Naturally, the man tried to pay him double the amount of what the bounty was and kept trying to coax him to let him go but Six didn't care. He didn't care what the man had to offer because there wasn't anything that interest him. He didn't care if the man was trying to coax him with lien but what he did care about was that the man was currently drawing Grimm to the area due to his negative emotions. This presented several problems to which Six had to deal with.

It happened once and didn't happen a second time because his target was unconscious the rest of the journey before he stopped at a settlement. Everyone had seen him just carrying the unconscious bounty over his shoulders before stopping off at the guild there, the receptionist just looked at him then at the bounty before nodding and placing something on the desk. It was a stack of lien cards neatly put together. He inspected it before nodding then leaving the building and going to the jail.

"That the sniveling coward?" The jailer asked.

"..." Six just nodded in silence.

"Well alright, put him in the third cell to the right. Man's a dead man anyways, so might as well leave him to the council to decide his fate. By the way, here's the added bonus I mentioned if you brought him in alive." The man said as he reached into his desk and produced a stack of lien. Six nodded then went to the back to the cell, where he threw the bounty on the bed roughly then shut the door on the way out. He went up to the desk and grabbed the lien card stack before placing it in his bag along with the other one then slung the bag over his shoulders again. He was out the door soon after then went to the store to pick up supplies for the next several minutes before he left the settlement shortly after. His business was done here so there was no reason to stay.

Weeks passed by slowly as he walked the region while gathering clues on the mysterious signal before he decided to leave. As he avoided a military patrol when walking near one of the outer settlements, he had picked up that they knew he was in the continent and sent out a search party for him. Killing them seemed to always happen whenever he was in the region but it wasn't like he sought them out, it was more along the lines of defending himself. He didn't actively seek platoons out and the fact that they had the nerve to call him a reckless killer spoke volumes of them. When it was all said and done; when he was the one to be the last one standing, he felt nothing as they lie dead on the ground. Whoever kept issuing these attacks on him was doing nothing but wasting time, resources, and men to even capture him much less kill him.

He left Atlas and headed back to Vale where the second signal was located and began to wander around for the source. He stayed out of the settlements for the most part, only going in when he needed supplies and work to do but for the most part he tried to pinpoint exactly where the signal was located. It was getting closer and closer with each passing day and the anticipation was starting to pay off. He ruled out that it was near the city since it appeared to be its weakest but it was in its strongest out of reach of any sense of civilization. It was in the middle of nowhere for the most part and he felt satisfaction when he discovered it in that regard. The nearest settlement was around three days on land vehicle and about a week and a half on foot so to say that it was far out of any sense of civilization would be an understatement.

Months of searching for this signal that kept contacting him, and him only, was finally within his grasps and the anticipation was practically beckoning him to claim his prize. It was turning into night of his long search before he found something that put him on guard. It was a cave, but something was different about it. Usually there would be Grimm roaming the area and attacking him with reckless abandon but he didn't encounter any for the last several days. The cave was different, it seemed sterile in some places which also sent up a flag for him. While keeping his weapon at the ready, he entered it.

As he traveled in it for the next several minutes, he began to notice that the deeper he went, it seemed to slope downwards and it seemed more metallic. The downward slope of the cave seemed to turn into pure metal after several minutes of walking and it became obvious that it wasn't a normal cave. It didn't take a genius to figure that out, no natural cave was constructed like this and had to be natural. Something had created this. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, even the slope was constructed carefully with precise measure. The deeper and lower he got, the more he noticed that it had patterns running across the wall and floor, even the ceiling. He must have been walking for half an hour before he even came across something that resembled a door, there was no telling how deep he was from the surface.

When he came across the giant door and observed it for the next few minutes, he looked to his right and saw what looked like a panel. As he walked over to the panel, he brushed his hand against the door and stepped back in alarm when it lit up dimly with a soft blue light. It seemed almost calming in a sense but he knew better, looks can be deceiving and one wrong move meant certain death. He stared at the lights with his weapon ready in case of an attack before he cautiously went over to the panel that had also lit up and observed it. There was a somewhat holographic screen that popped up and he observed it for a minute. After observing it, he took his fingers and took the biggest button of light and started to move it in an upside down U motion to the right.

He let go and stepped back the panel seemed to shut off suddenly and he quickly got his weapon ready. When he looked to his left, he saw the door start to open with a hum and he saw it open. Weapon still at the ready, he proceeded to step inside the door and into the dark room carefully. When he was a good distance inside the interior, the door suddenly shut and threw him into darkness. It was silent for a few seconds before the lights of the interior of the construct suddenly began to glow dimly. This proceeded for the next few minutes as he just aimed his weapon at the slightest movement. A few minutes went by and the whole complex was illuminated. He recognized this type of architecture, it was Forerunner.

While he may not have had an extensive knowledge of Forerunners and their structures, he did know about them. Part of his enjoyment in his downtime was learning about topics like these, even if he wasn't meant to know, he always found a way to learn more about them. Nobody knew that he knew a little bit about them because he never said anything nor was he caught. Although, that still didn't explain how he was able to interact with the technology, he knew about the structures and some of the history through the scientists in the UNSC but it didn't explain how he was able to interact with it. This was the end of his investigation though, and to say that the satisfaction was justified was slightly an understatement. This proved to be extremely beneficial in his eyes. Maybe there could be a way he could boost his signal to reach the UNSC and come retrieve him.

This raised several questions with him that he sought answers to. How was Forerunner technology here? Would this be the reason as to why there weren't any Grimm nor traces of civilization in this area? How long had it been here? Why hasn't anyone discovered this yet? These questions started to rack his mind and it made him shake his head at the sudden trail of questions that started to pile up. Now was not the time since exploring the Forerunner structure was. With any luck, he could find something that resembled a communication device. If he did, then sending a message to the UNSC would complete his goal. He could finally leave this planet and get back into the fight. If the UNSC would be willing enough, something could be established with the government of this planet. Though... he doubted that anything peaceful would occur. While the outer settlements might take a liking to the UNSC, he doubted that the cities would, especially Atlas. They were too prideful for his taste, all it took was one situation to see how fragile they really were.

Remnant for all it's "glory" was rather far back on everything. They haven't even managed to send a satellite into orbit. Earth had managed to complete that within the mid twentieth century. Sometimes he wondered what would happen if Remnant had decided to try and pick a fight with the UNSC. While it was something he never would want to happen, he did wonder what the outcome would be. The UNSC, despite all of its questionable deeds, truly did wish for the survival of humanity; so he doubted they would go to war with a planet that hasn't even broke orbit.

Shaking his head at these thoughts, he proceeded to explore deeper into the facility. Soon, he came across what looked like a large opening in the ground. He looked down and saw that there was nothing but a dim blue light covered by fog. It looked rather deep and one fall could kill any person. Stepping back and observing his surroundings, he saw a panel seemingly construct as he walked along the edge. It was the same design at the door and he interacted with it. Soon after he did that, it deconstructed into the floor and a blue hard light bridge appeared.

"..." He stared at it for a few seconds before taking a couple of cautious steps on it before walking across it. His eyes never stopped darting around at anything that moved. This whole situation seemed rather... odd in a sense. Something called him here and he intended to find out what it was. While he already deduced that it was forerunner, that didn't mean something else couldn't have sent the signal from within the complex. The more he explored, the more he noticed that things started to open up to him without him having to do anything. Something wanted him to find this location out. He just didn't know what. That frustrated him slightly. He was so close to something yet it was so far.

He'd find out what sent the signal and get off planet.

* * *

Six kept his eyes on the swivel as he sat down and ate in silence. He was in unknown territory but he needed to eat, it had been almost a day since he's eaten and he'd rather have energy in case he needed to fight. Despite him being smart, he didn't know too much about this complex. He had been here for hours and barely found anything that led him to clues. There wasn't any biological organisms here, it was like the place had been sterilized. In some parts that he explored, there were containment chambers but they were barren. Some areas he couldn't access since they were sealed off and no matter how much he tried to interact with it, it wouldn't budge. The place screamed the unknown and that would've bothered most, but to him it was comforting. He accepted the unknown sometimes. That wasn't to say that he trusted it, nor would put his guard down.

He sighed as he finished his food then stood up while putting his helmet on. The familiar sight of his systems booting up was like a welcome home for him. He felt as if eyes were on him and he quickly equipped his DMR and turned around. There wasn't anything around him but he still felt like he was being watched. It was unnerving. Keeping his weapon out, he packed up his things and roamed around the complex some more before deciding it was time to leave. He estimated that he had been here for the last twenty hours in total. Most of that time he explored, the complex. An hour was spent sitting down and resting before continuing his search.

As he went to the center of the complex, there was a large ramp that led to an arch. While leaving and gathering more supplies seemed beneficial, exploring something that somewhat resembled a communications device seemed more beneficial in his eyes. He would come here again, that much was guaranteed but it wouldn't hurt to investigate this object. It wasn't there when he entered the center so it meant that whatever was contacting him was making its appearance. As he climbed to the top of the ramp and walked along the pathway, he saw two small constructs appear. They were shoulder length apart and two glowing orbs seemed to materialize as he drew closer. He walked along the small, metallic pathway until he reached the small pillar-like constructs.

Observing it for a minute, he cautiously placed his hands onto them. Nothing happened for a minute and all was silent, with the exception of the dull humming of the strange complex, before a sensation met his body. He ripped his hands off the constructs when a jolt of pain flooded his system, taking down his shields and knocking him back. The force threw him away and made him skid against the pathway, reaching the edge of the large ramp before stopping. As quick as the pain entered, it left and he quickly stood up. He looked down at his hands and curled his fists a few times, doing this process until the numb feeling in his hands left. The audible flexing of his hands met his ears and he breathed in relief when the pain was gone. His TACPAD was suddenly sent a signal and he responded back. A noise ahead of him made him look to see something slowly start to rise up from the abyss below.

His weapon was aimed at the spherical, floating object that seemed to stare at him. A cold, steely gaze adorned his face as he stared at the purple light of the construct. The air went tense and he was prepared for its first attack when it spoke.

"Oh my." It said. The voice was clearly female and it had a slightly chippy undertone to it. It started to hover around him, ignoring as he kept it in his eyesight and equipped his shotgun. It scanned him harmlessly but he still tensed. Perhaps it was training, or instinct.

"Who are you?" He asked, keeping his weapon aimed.

Greetings! I am 046 Auspicious Spark. Monitor of the the Remnant instillation!" She greeted cheerfully.

"... A monitor?" He tilted his head.

"Yes. I am the monitor of this current instillation, tasked with overseeing its progress throughout time and researching the current wildlife." She answered. Questions racked his mind as he stared at the female construct. He lowered his weapon slightly as he stared it-no her. He was confused, and that irritated him. His irritation made him sigh in annoyance before he pushed away the feeling and continued to stare at the monitor. While he wasn't well versed like some of the other Spartans or scientists that were exposed more to this topic, he did understand a little bit. From what he gathered, this was pretty much the overseer of the planet, meaning that she might have what he needed. If that was the case then it meant he could finally get off the planet. While he wouldn't say he enjoyed being stuck on this planet for twelve years, he also wouldn't say that it wasn't a awful experience.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the monitor float uncomfortably in the air. She had been staring him for several minutes while he did the same.

"Ahem." She cleared her metaphorical throat. He snapped up to her as soon as she made the noise and asked her a question before she could even say something.

"A communications panel. Do you have one?" He asked.

"What for?" She asked back.

"... I need to send a signal." He answered curtly. While he didn't want to tell the artificial intelligence in front of him, he had no choice. She was his closest chance to sending a signal strong enough to any UNSC vessel out there. If there was a chance that she would let him use it, then there was a chance that he could finally get off this rock.

"It seems you have been the one who has been responding to the signal I have been sending. Oh, this is most wonderful!" She bounced around quickly.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, I have been waiting for a Reclaimer for so long! None of the inhabitants of this planet seemingly fit the genetic coding. Each one that has managed to stumble across this facility, none of them have actually managed to access this location." She answered. Why did she call him a Reclaimer? He wasn't one. Those questions could wait later when he stopped by.

"Why haven't they?" He asked. He wanted to know more.

"As I have stated before, none of them have the correct genetic coding of the Forerunners. Only the Forerunners themselves and Reclaimers are able to access to this facility." She answered. This just brought up more questions to be honest, but he did understand that no one on Remnant could access this place. To most, this area was considered a dead zone.

"You stated that you're here to observe and research the wildlife, yet you do not go out. How are you documenting this information?" He asked.

"I have several ways to gather information of this instillation. Although, I am restricted in what I am able to do. My protocols state that I am allowed to do nothing but observe and research with this instillation. I may not interfere with the inhabitants nor dictate their actions, but I am able to observe them by any means necessary." She stated. He thought about this for a while. She stated that it was against protocol to interfere with Remnant's inhabitants, yet it was okay for her to observe them by any means necessary. Did this mean she was able to kidnap people and use them for research? Although, that would contradict what she stated earlier, she stated wildlife. That meant anything within the animal kingdom and possibly the Grimm.

"Grimm, you are here to study Grimm?" He asked.

"For the most part, yes. They were created to act as cannon fodder against the Flood parasite. Though, the ones that made these organisms seem to forget that the parasite uses biological material, assimilating it into a greater mind." She said.

"Flood?" He asked. He's never heard of that term.

"Yes. The Flood is a parasitic life form that reproduces quickly and consumes any organic material. One Flood spore is enough to wipe out an entire species. They infect other sentient species and hijack their bodies and nervous systems to create more. It is a rather horrifying process, assimilating all the intelligence and biomass into one being. The Flood are virtually unstoppable in some cases." She explained. He went quiet for a while. That... truly was a problematic situation. An organism capable of merging thousands of species together to create a supreme intelligence. That begged the question, was there any here?

"This is a research facility, correct?" He asked.

"As I have stated before, yes." She bobbed herself up and down.

"Then are there any samples here? Any semblance of Flood that can infect this instillation?" He asked. If there was then Remnant was at risk if a containment breach were to occur.

"There is not. The one who created the Grimm and the other left shortly after a containment breach happened. I was forced to cleanse this instillation thoroughly when I had begun to realize that the infection was spreading fast. Luckily, I managed to contain it within the first few days. I had managed to collect all the data I could regarding these creatures and their exposure to the Flood." She said. He did manage to catch the slight malice in her undertone when she spoke of the one who created the Grimm.

"The one who created the Grimm and the other. Who were they?" He asked.

"A hundred and two thousand years ago, this instillation was created. It's original purpose was to research the Flood and in hopes of creating an immunity to the infection. A thousand years later, two beings claimed to be gods took residence here. The Forerunners observed these beings to see if they were of Precursor lineage." She started to explain.

"Were they?" He asked. He was curious about this but it would also serve well for the USNC to know. In truth, he was gathering information for them to use in the future.

"Not necessarily. They were of some lower form of Precursor. Not on the scale of creating a universe but they were capable of creating life. We respected them and worshiped them greatly, they had managed to create life on this planet. Over time, we realized that they were nothing but children fighting over the rights to a planet they had no control over. They started to disregard the rules and protocols that were set in place here. Claiming that this world was theirs and they had every right to do whatever they pleased. Soon after, a conflict broke out between the Forerunners and these brother "Gods" had started to destroy the instillation they saw as their playground. A century of conflict between the two had come to an end. The Forerunners had decided that they would leave the world to these two, on the agreement that they had to remain here for the rest of their life cycle. Should they leave, then they were to be destroyed with the device placed in their cores. Although they were nearly invincible, there were ways to counter them." She explained. There were several tones of malice in her voice but he ignored it.

"They left." He assumed calmly. It was expected since he rarely saw any religion that correlated to these two. Although he was completely skeptical about the whole story, it wasn't completely out of proportion. Still, he refused to believe this so easily.

"They did. They went back on the agreement between the two sides and left they planet they decided to inhabit. The Forerunners had explicitly stated that should they leave the instillation, their cores would be destroyed. I was tasked with monitoring these two and denying them access to the facility due to past events. Once I had detected that they were breaking their end of the agreement and leaving the planet, I was given full authority to eliminate them. There is also the fact that they had caused a containment breach." She said.

"There is something else." He said. She gave a pleasant beep when he realized this. Although he may have not known what that other thing was, he did assume there was one.

"They had managed to wipe out all life with the exception of one. I observed this individual for some time and came to the conclusion that they had granted her prolonged life. While she is able to be eliminated, she keeps coming back. There is also the fact that before I was able to eliminate them, they had managed to bring someone else back. I assume it was to counter this woman." She said.

"..." He stayed silent and that prompted her to continue.

"While she is extremely difficult to eliminate, it isn't impossible to kill her. The one that keeps bouncing his life energy around, he is the one who is supposed to counter her. I have observed his actions for some time. Although he has good intentions, he is dragging this conflict out too long." She said.

"... This woman, do you have a location or a name?" He asked.

"I have a vague location but no name. Much of my privileges were tampered with due to the two imbeciles and the Forerunners. I may have control over this instillation, but some areas I am unable to access due to these restrictions. It is stated that only a Reclaimer is able to get these systems in my control again. From then on, I am able to have complete control over the entire instillation as I had before." She stated.

"That seems counterproductive. Not to mention illogical in the highest regard." He commented.

"It is. In many regards it is counterproductive but I cannot do anything about it." She agreed. It was quiet for a while and he just sighed under his breath. This was a lot to take in, but he managed to soak as much in as he could. He would come back here in the future, but he needed to send the signal and get back out there. If he could get this instillation under the monitor's control, then it would prove to be more beneficial in his eyes. There was also the topic of the woman, the monitor stated that there was a woman that was hard to kill, but she never said what kind of threat she was.

"What kind of threat is this woman?" He asked.

"It is theorized that she wants to eliminate all life on this instillation. After that, presumably take complete control over the instillation." The monitor answered.

"Have you tried to stop her in the past?" He asked. If the monitor of this instillation hasn't tried to stop her in the past, then that would be counterproductive.

"No, that would go against my protocols. The Forerunners had placed safety measures on me. If I disobey too many protocols then I would be destroyed. This in line, kept me in check. I have disobeyed one already, and I will only disobey that one. To make matters worse, it did not bring me any satisfaction in doing so. I am only here to observe and research." She said. He could tell from the tone of her voice that she wasn't one to break protocols. That one time was the only exception but other than that, she didn't.

"..." He didn't say anything, didn't need to. While it didn't make much sense, he didn't really understand how Forerunners were when it came to protocols. The UNSC and them were different, hundreds of thousands of years different. He brushed those thoughts aside. They could be answered later, but now he had to see if he could get his signal out.

"You have asked about sending a signal, yes?" She asked while getting closer. He backed up, his hands tensing on his weapon some more. It seemed she saw this and backed away, seeing him relax slightly when she was far enough away. Her knowledge of this instillation was practically limitless but beyond that wasn't. There were several things she didn't know about this instillation due to restrictions.

"Yes. Do you have something that is able to boost my signal beyond the atmosphere?" He asked. Hope seemed to bleed into his voice a bit, threatening to break his normal calm tone.

"There is. Although it may be weak, it is capable of breaking the atmosphere." She nodded her spherical body.

"Show me." He practically ordered. If anyone else would've heard him say that, they would've heard a cold tone. Those that knew him just heard his calm one that he always had. He watched as the monitor nod a bit before floating past him, turning around every so often to make sure he was still following. They walked around for several minutes and he was eventually at a door that was locked earlier. A beam came from her and he watched as the door opened up. The two of them traveled through a long hallway for some time before he eventually came across something.

In the center of the room was a large spiral of energy. Three beams in a triangular fashion pointed towards the spiral and would rotate every so often. To anyone else, it would've fixated them for hours, but to him it was interesting. Discovering unknown objects and complexes were always a pleasurable thing to him. That could wait for later though, he had something that needed to be done. He came across another gap and waited for her to create a light bridge before walking across it. There was another panel that required him to place both his hands on. Like before, he observed it then placed his hands on the panel.

After steeling himself for a bit, he sent his first mildly strong signal. One that was encrypted, only meant for the UNSC to receive. He didn't know why, but it felt satisfying beyond all recognition to finally be able to send something like this.

He might actually be able to go home.

* * *

After talking more with the Monitor, he realized that there was an easier way to access the main facility. He didn't have to walk across the entire continent on foot to reach the facility. There were several smaller ones that he could activate. Each one he went to, it would give her more power over the instillation and boost his signal. While it sounded good, he had to constantly question her. If she were to have complete control over the instillation, what would happen to its inhabitants. Each and every time, she had to reassure him that she would do nothing to them. The most she was allowed to do was eliminate any trespassers that tried to access the facilities, and observe the progress of the instillation. She was not allowed to interfere with the natural order of things.

He didn't trust her, but he had no choice. The Forerunner facilities were the best chance he had to getting off the instillation and reporting to the UNSC. There was also the fact that he had to deal with this woman that was threatening humanity. This kept him occupied. He had three goals; get each facility up and running, deal with this woman, and get off the instillation. There were things he could accomplish in the meantime but those were his missions, ones that he would complete. It was guaranteed. The walk back to the settlements would be a long journey but he'd manage. It's been several months since he's actually had a conversation with anyone. So his first stop would be at the guild to see the status of it, doing work, then continuing towards the facility that was closest to it.

Getting to the facilities was a journey on its own; but once he got them all up and running, he could just go to each one if he was currently at one. He estimated that on foot, a walk to a facility would be around three weeks to a month. That was okay, part of the enjoyment was walking there if he was alone. Another thing he asked her, if he could assist him in creating a new core for his suit. She stated that she could, but wanted him to at least get a facility up and running first. He does a task for her, she rewards him for his efforts. As much as he didn't want to do it and force her to make him a new one, he couldn't. She was his best chance at getting off and blowing this opportunity would be foolish. He pushed the irritation down like always and sighed as he continued to walk.

The facilities ranged in several fields. Research, communications, etc. The more he accomplished, the more he resources that were at his disposal. That meant he didn't need to live bounty to bounty for his supplies. Ultimately, he would remain outside the facilities to keep them a secret, only going there when a signal was responding from the sky. He liked to travel, but it also meant he could continue doing what he did, ensure humanity's survival here. To him, this was an unsteady alliance because he had no idea of the Monitor's intentions once she reached full power, but it was something he would deal with in time. While he doubted that she would suddenly turn against the inhabitants of this instillation, it was always better safe then sorry.

The days slipped by like always. The air began to get cooler, leaves started to fall off the trees, rain started to turn into freezing rain then snow, and resources were harder to find. When the snow finally fell onto him, he always had to dig deep down into it to find an herb he was looking for, or had to travel to another continent. Some areas were warmer than others and had the necessary herbs but he mostly stayed in the colder parts. It was harder to find him there, mostly since everyone had clothing on themselves to protect them from the frigid air. Snow crunched under him as he continued to walk on, ignoring the wildlife that went about their business. For the most part, they left him alone, as did he. There was no reason to mess with the natural order of things.

More days and nights went by before he was near the settlement he always enjoyed. He estimated he was around a ten miles away from it before he came across something. There was a tiny figure digging into the snow, her little hands red with irritation and were freezing from the cold air. He looked ahead and saw a wagon that had snow covering it. He guessed that snow had covered it and the people in it. As he stepped closer, he started to see a rather familiar set of blue hair. He didn't need to see her face to know it was Myne. She shouldn't be out here. Why was she out here?

She suddenly perked up when she heard someone behind her and tensed up, falling on her rear when he was suddenly behind her. A frightened yelp erupted from her mouth and she curled into herself suddenly. He saw what she was doing, digging in the snow to get the people out from underneath it. There were multiple hands sticking out and he said nothing for a few seconds. During those seconds, she peeked from her arms and saw a familiar cloak. That silent air that always seemed to unnerve people was like a saving grace to her.

"Six!" She cried out. There were streaks from the corners of her eyes, presumably from tears. She clutched his cloak tightly and looked up at him, barely seeing his black visor from underneath the hood. He didn't say anything as she started to sob into him. All he did was reach down and grab the closest hand, lifting the person out of the snow effortlessly with one hand. She watched as he grabbed her mother then walked near the wagon, kicking it roughly to knock any snow off, then set her down gently. She rushed to her mother's side while he did the same with her father and sister. He brought out some fire Dust then began to sprinkle minuscule amounts near them, raising their body temperatures. After that was done, he took off his cloak and covered the family, shielding them from the cold. His bag was set down next to them.

He went to the front of the wagon and grabbed the handles, pulling it after making sure Myne was on there. Once she was under the cloak, he began to pull.

"What are you all doing out here?" He asked calmly.

"We were collecting fruit. There's a fruit out here that grows only in the winter." She answered, shivering slightly. He turned his head a bit and watched as his cloak seemed to provide the necessary amount of warmth, soon after she stopped shivering.

"... What is special about this fruit?" He asked. He wanted to know why the family would risk their lives for something as trivial as a fruit.

"It's usually used to help one's sickness. Some people call it a wonder fruit. Mama and papa usually go out and get me some. They said I was finally strong enough to go out with them. They showed me how to pick it and extract the materials." She answered. When she started to slowly creep out of the cloak, he ordered her to remain there.

"..." He didn't say anything and just continued forward. She started to talk to him, just talking about how much stronger she's gotten. While it was common for her to get sick sometimes, she wasn't as frail as she was before. He noticed that she talked about how everyone missed him, that he was like people's sunshine. There were moments where he would stop when she said something, only to continue shortly after. She then talked about how her dad went on to become a guild member and had earned a little bit more income. He was always at the gate, but he was also working at the guild. In a way, he was imitating Six at times.

"Myne, have you been taking your medicine?" He asked after some time.

"Hmm? Yeah, mama said that I am to drink tea at least once or twice a day. She said that she learned some recipes that could help me." She answered.

"Are you ill now?" He asked.

"No. I just got done being sick last Wednesday." She said.

"... Once we get back to the settlement, I will tend to your parents and sister." He said.

"... Thank you..." She whispered.

"..." He didn't say anything after that. All he did was drag the wagon across the snowy ground. She talked some more. There were times where he had to scold her into staying underneath his cloak, but it wasn't cold. His voice never changed from its normal calm one. Half an hour passed by and he eventually came across the gate. He was stopped, this was to be expected since no one had seen him without his cloak before, with the exception of the family. All it took was for him to speak for them to realize who he was. Needless to say, they were shocked. They really didn't expect Six to look like a machine made for war. Which ironically, he was.

His first time being in the settlement drew countless eyes. This was to be expected and he ignored this, he'd deal with the whispers later but right now he needed to get the family situated. He stopped by the clinic but saw they were closed, which he expected somewhat. All he did was walk to the poorer side of town and he eventually came across their house. Myne hopped off the wagon and scampered up to the door, bringing out a key from a floorboard then unlocking the door. He wrapped the three other family members tightly into his cloak then carried them inside after unlocking the door.

Myne showed him the parents' room and opened the door while he just carried them inside, twisting body so they didn't hit their heads on the side of the door. He placed them on their bed and changed them out of their wet clothes. It took several minutes but he did it and set medicine near the table, writing a note for when they wake up. After getting them situated, he went to the fire place and placed a few logs in, starting a fire shortly after. He noticed Myne peek from around the corner and sighed, gesturing for her to come closer. She shuffled closer to him and thanked him by hugging his armored leg. Like always, he tensed up tightly. He still wasn't used to affection and he would never be. The most he did was awkwardly rub her head, kneeling down to her level.

"I will retrieve the fruit and bring them inside. You will stay here and increase your body temperature." He said. She nodded and sat in front of the fire, rubbing her arms a bit then placing her hands out. In other words, he was telling her to stay put and get warm. Once he made sure she wouldn't move, he went outside and walked to the wagon. He gathered the fruit and brought them inside, putting them in the bowl on the table and going to the parents' room. They were still unconscious so he checked on their vitals before taking his cloak and slinging it over his body. He walked out of the house soon after, letting his thoughts run.

There were eyes on him, but he didn't care. He was too drawn into his thoughts. This woman that presented a threat was a problem, if destroying all life on the planet was her goal, then she was a threat to humanity. If he wasted too many resources killing her over and over again, then it would present several problems. The monitor did state that this was a research instillation. So that meant there were cells which he could seal her off until they found out a way to eliminate her. He would come up with a better solution as time passed. Right now though, he needed to do some bounties then head to his next destination. Underneath Mount Glenn was a facility that was shut down. While he would claim that it was preposterous, only he could activate it and turn it back on.

"How troublesome..." He muttered under his breath. People seemed to revert back to their usual viewpoint on him, seeing him as someone valuable. It must have just been a rather odd sight to see a 6'9 armored man walk around town at first glance. He continued to be caught up in his thoughts for a while, until he reached the guild. He noticed that his friend wasn't there today, which struck with an odd feeling. The assistant seemed to notice this when he began to look around.

"She's sick today. Basically had to force her to go home." She said.

"..." He nodded. While it was unfortunate, it was also understandable. She was ill and was required to rest in order to be at her full functionality. She talked with him, but noticed that he seemed rather... distant. It was like he wasn't all there. She understood why though, he wasn't as close to her and it seemed like he was with that for everyone. In some ways, she felt that he was just like that. It was like this mentality was branded into his mind, but that never bothered her. From what she observed of him, he was quiet and was always on the move. Whenever she went on vacation to the other settlements, she always heard how he would drop in at times and does what he's doing now, just completing bounties.

He picked up three bounties, as trivial as they were, he still did them. It took a few minutes but she managed to get him cleared for them, watching as he put them in his bag then left. The other members of the guild nodded as he walked out. When he stepped out of the building and started to walk down the road, he saw something in his motion tracker. It was quick but careful at the same time.

"S-Six? Is that you?" A voice asked carefully. He didn't say anything, all he did was turn his body around. There was a familiar set of orange hair, along with a set of black one with a single pink streak. He ignored the two other individuals around them. Only focusing on the two that he had to leave twelve years ago. They were older, much older but it seemed they had grown so much since he's left them. The two stared at him while he did the same as the wind blew behind him. His cloak danced around in the wind and flowed gently.

How could a wolf ever forget the pups he's taught to survive?

* * *

**So, yes. Another chapter. I am back to give you all another chapter. Before I get into reviews, yes I look at all of them and answer them, it's part of the job as an author in my opinion. I deeply apologize if this chapter seems like an information dump or contradicts some things. At the very least, I tried to give some history to Remnant in general and between the Forerunners and brother gods. Before you all scream, "This is horseshit, how the hell can the brother gods be eliminated?" and this doesn't make sense. I'm not very familiar with Precursors and the Forerunner lore. It's never been my strong suit but it's something I'd like to experiment with. So if I make any mistakes, then I'm sorry, never said I was an absolute expert. I, once again, deeply apologize if this chapter is not as good as the others. For the most part, I wanted to go a route that I was comfortable with writing. I'll say it once and I'll say it again, I'm not the best author. Anyways, onto reviews.**

**Victor John Foxfire: That's what a lot of people are saying. It was completely unintentional but it just sort of drifted towards that approach. Not saying it's a bad thing, but that's just the direction it shifted to.**

**Malgrath: It has some potential. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Sm0keyPanda: I try to keep his character in line. Still the same B312 that we all know and love.**

**matthew116: The first option. I was going to originally go all three but that would've just been too many factors for me to handle decently. I'm not saying I couldn't do it, but it'd be a mess for me and I was afraid I'd fuck it up.**

**spartan-140: Right now, it's before the Search and Destroy chapter. As for the question regarding Yang and Ruby, I'll figure it out when I start writing.**

**Josephi: He would've if she said the wrong thing.**

**KnowingEzmend: You're fine, I usually confuse people sometimes. As for the company or reference, I'll think about it.**

**VGBlackwing: An interesting concept that is.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: It's like the latter but different.**

**Guest: Hoorah indeed.**

**daggercloak000: Indeed she is.**

**omega risen: I hope to keep your attention.**

**KneegarFakeget: He's still under the illusion that Six's like some people. Thanks for reviewing.**

**darkromdemon: Yeah, Rooster Teeth has slowly started to lose my interest over the years. I mean, I used to be enthralled by RWBY when it first came out, but now... it's more indifference than anything. The show just became so bland to me over the years. I don't hate it, but I don't like it either. The only reason I decided to do these stories is because it's a personal enjoyment of mine and I enjoy reading what people come up with.**

**UndeadLord22: He is. Six is practically his own faction and only answers to the UNSC. It's just how he is. Also yes, Summer is alive.**

**Dead344156: Thank you.**

**Lord Demolitions: Indeed, they'll be in the story so don't worry.**

**Guest: It's kind of a mixed baggage with him. I don't particularly get into that topic because last time I got into that, I was basically ostracized by like thirty people. All I did was state my opinion as civil as possible, then people basically starting to harass me for having a different opinion than them.**

**Czechus: I didn't realize it but that's what people enjoy. For the most part, I just wanted to diverge from the regular story, give Six his own as opposed to him being around people constantly. Also, I'm starting to get into future arcs now and want to expand upon them. Thanks for reviewing.**

**M3KHAN3: I'll try to keep it a breath of fresh air for you, cheers mate.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: Yeah, I personally don't mind if people review multiple times. I just don't like it when they decided to review several times back to back to back. Like, just save it for a later time.**

**R1VN: Thank you, here's some more decent reading.**

**SortaCats: I tried to give him a little backstory.**

**Double2cat: Force of habit in all honesty. I have a bad habit where I constantly beat myself up whenever I post a new chapter. Don't know why, but when I first post it, several negative thoughts constantly cloud my mind for a few hours before they fade away. Don't know, stuff like this is always weird but don't worry about me. My job is to give you all something decent to read. Don't worry about the long review, sometimes they're welcome.**

**PhoenixGuy: Thank you, I'll try to keep up the current quality.**

**DignifiedDarling: Yeah, I by the time RWBY ends, I probably won't even care about it anymore. In my honest opinion, it's starting to lose my interest over time. Last volume I watched as soon as the chapter was released publicly but this chapter I haven't even seen one episode.**

**InfernoKnightmare: Those are interesting names, I'll take them into consideration.**

**DannyPhantom619: Thank you.**

**singpu: Hope this chapter was at least somewhat satisfactory for you.**

**scottusa1: Thanks for the review, laters.**

**Ozilla: I might in the future, I don't know how I'll do it but I think I could.**

**alertpoet91: Here you go.**

**The3rdOverlord: Here's another chapter.**

**sacke110: I mean, if her role didn't increase in the story then I'd keep her as Guild Girl but I do want to flesh out her character, which is why I'm naming her. About the reviews, I don't mind when people review, it's just when they review like seven in a row in the span of like five minutes. I don't really care if they review multiple times. I hope that clears things up.**

**Quququq22: Thanks. He does understand aura and semblance, it's one of the factors he always takes into consideration when dealing with people. He just doesn't care about if he has one or not. Six doesn't like people touching him, it's shown when he always tenses up. He isn't used to people other than other Spartans showing him affectionate physical contact, and even then he's uncomfortable.**

**Sciny: As the story progressed, I figured that he'd remain as he is. I didn't want him joining Beacon like every other story. He may run into the cast from time to time but Six ultimately remains alone and is strictly loyal to the UNSC.**

**Name In Progress: Holy shit, I enjoyed that little section about Six being the wolf and Summer being the mother bear. Don't know why but that was really satisfying to read. As far as meeting them in Forever Fall Forest, I don't think so. Also, I do like those two names so I'll take them into consideration.**

**JEKYLL HIDE: That was satisfying to read, to be honest.**

**Hyjaxx: Affirmative.**

**Marco Geddes: Here's another decent one.**

**Destoyer78901: Here it is.**

**Reader: It didn't bother me, so don't worry about it. I mean, there are some spelling errors but I'm trying to make sure that there aren't any. Some people pointed that out and I appreciate that they did.**

**Guest: He won't.**

**Guest: I... I actually never thought of that. I'll take it into consideration like the other names.**

**Blaze1992: I can too.**

**Minxiboo: I'm glad you enjoy it, trying not to add too much to where it's cringe but just enough to where it's vanilla. As for posting, I usually post whenever to be honest. Whenever I create a new story, it's usually at the end of a term so I don't neglect my studies. Updating is just whenever I get the chance.**

**Guest: If this chapter doesn't satisfy you then you're welcome to leave. I'm taking the story at my own pace, and I'm not gonna rush it. Rushing stories leaves a bad taste in my mouth so I apologize if it's too slow for you. I'm not here to impress everyone.**

**That's all for reviews. To be honest, I was hesitant about uploading this chapter. It feels like I fucked some things up and contradicted a lot of things. I mean, if it means that I have to improve upon it in later chapters, then I'll do it but I really feel like I fucked my story over. I don't know, basically what I'm trying to say is I feel like the quality is going downhill. Shit's starting to head downhill for me now, but here I am, posting chapters. Anyways, that basically sums up this chapter, I'll catch you guys in the next one. Thanks for sticking with me.**


	11. Chapter 11: Temporary reunion

He stared at the two in front of him. They did the same for the next several, silent seconds. It was too silent for the other two before he spoke up after a while.

"Hello Nora, Ren." He nodded at them. Their eyes started to water a bit and their lips started to wobble. He had expected it from Nora, but he had not anticipated Ren doing the same action. It was to be expected for them to crash into him, barely moving him at all but he sighed when they started to cry into his cloak. His body tensed up like always but he didn't remove them, all he did was let them cry into him. He was uncomfortable, very uncomfortable but he didn't need to tell them to release him. As if sensing that he was tense, they removed themselves from him and stared up at him, barely seeing him from underneath his hood. They had to wipe away their tears and compose themselves a bit before looking at him again. Each and every year, they had heard stories from around the world of his deeds, how he started to help common folk. In a way, he was helping them because they started to see him as their role model. They wanted to help people like him, even if it meant getting their hands dirty sometimes.

"We missed you!" Nora beamed, wiping away the tears from her eyes.

"..." He nodded then gestured for them to follow him into the guild. It was cold outside and he would rather be inside, while it wouldn't matter to him, he didn't want them to stay out here without a reason. They followed him closely by his sides while the other two seemed to look at one another then follow the three shortly after. He stepped inside and saw that everyone was looking at him but he ignored them. All he did was go into the back and tell them to sit down while he leaned against a nearby support beam. Almost immediately, Nora began to run off at the mouth quickly, so fast that Ren had to slow her down. Six didn't say anything, all he did was listen to her tell her childish stories. He noticed how she went from that shy, yet eager, little girl he found to a rather enthusiastic young woman. Ren was the next person he observed. It seemed that the boy was rather quiet, saying only what he needed when it was required. Some may have not noticed it, but Six did see that it seemed he was imitating him a little bit. He really didn't think he influenced these two that much.

Countless eyes were on them but all it took was for him to sweep his gaze over the complex for everyone to look away. They all knew that he liked his privacy and wouldn't have prying ears in on their conversation.

While he was listening to Nora in the background, he also took in the features. The boy had a mess of blonde hair that sat on top of his head, deep blue eyes, some armor that resembled a knight, and a sword on his hip. He could tell that the boy seemed awkward socially and didn't have much confidence. The girl on the other hand, had red hair that was tied into a pony tail, bronze armor that reminded him of Spartans in some of the history books he used to read, and weapons that were akin to that. Her eyes held years of experience, yet she seemed just as socially awkward as the knight boy. He seemed to be staring at them because they started to shift uncomfortably under his gaze. It was like something had its fangs against their throats. They couldn't breath, it was suffocating and it was beginning to burn their lungs.

"Six, how have you been?" Nora beamed at him. The suffocating feeling immediately lifted when he looked away from them and turned his attention to Nora.

"I have been fine." He answered calmly.

"What have you been up to?" She asked in the same tone.

"Wandering. I see you and Ren are doing well." He said.

"You betcha! Ren and I have been training super hard!" She stood up and flexed her muscles. Although he couldn't see it from underneath her pink coat, he could tell that she had muscle mass. He knew what she was doing, she was basically showing how strong she had gotten since he last saw her.

"We have been fine." Ren nodded calmly. The other two just watched as the three of them have a conversation. They noticed that the tall guy Ren and Nora was talking to never changed his tone of voice, it was like it was permanently stuck in that tone. Never once did it waver. From the few months that they had spent with the two, they always kept mentioning someone that they had looked up to, although they barely knew him. They had stated he saved them and taught them before leaving shortly after. Now here they were, speaking with the same man that saved them years ago.

"You seem to have teammates." Six gestured to the other two, making them flinch when that feeling returned.

"You're gonna love them! This is-" Nora stopped when Ren placed his hand over her mouth.

"I think you should let them at least introduce themselves, Nora." He said. She blinked a few times before nodding, looking at the other two. They jumped when all the attention was suddenly on them. The blonde male cleared his throat then stood up as straight as he could, trying to muster up the confidence. Everything seemed to disappear in an instant the moment he looked up at Six, who said nothing. Even if he couldn't see his face, he could feel his eyes taking in every feature of his. Jaune felt like he was being dissected and studied carefully.

"J-Jaune Arc... I'm the leader of JNPR..." Jaune managed to stutter out. Six said nothing but looked at the redhead, who flinched when his gaze bore into her. She didn't know why but it just felt... dangerous to be around him.

"Pyrrha Nikos." She gave a rehearsed smile like always. Her smile was more forced than what it was, she felt like claws were tearing into her face now. Forcing the muscles past their limits and tearing them with precision. She noticed how he didn't react like she thought he would, much like some in the settlement when they saw her. Being a celebrity was kind of a big deal in the cities but out here, no one seemed to mind that much. This settlement in general seemed pretty humble in her opinion.

"..." Six just stared at her before nodding silently and turning his head away from the two. An audible gulp of air was heard from Jaune and Pyrrha when he did. Six, from what Ren and Nora called him, was absolutely terrifying. He was freakishly tall, his whole silent demeanor put them on edge, but what really drained the color from their faces was his metaphorical aura. It was like underneath that cloak held something terrifying. The two of them watched as Six listened to them silently, never once interrupting Nora from her story telling. How Ren would correct her calmly, almost as if he were imitating Six. They saw how the two of them looked up to them, despite not seeing him for over a decade.

"So what are you going to do now?" Nora asked.

"Work." Six answered.

"Then what after that?" She asked.

"Leave." He answered. This threw her off guard. While she heard stories of him always traveling, she didn't think that he did it so often.

"Oh... um... where are you going to end up next?" She asked quietly, it was uncharacteristically quiet for the other two. They had never heard Nora sound so... small before. It even effected Ren to an extent, even he seemed saddened by the news. Six saw this and sighed, this was the same look they had when he told them he had to leave. This was the way. He didn't know how to comfort them, emotions were practically nonexistent to him half the time.

"That is undetermined." He said. It didn't fly over his head that he was pushing their emotions to the limits. He needed to keep himself at a distance from them, when the UNSC arrives and takes him away, he'll possibly never see them again. While he wouldn't admit it, he was glad they were surviving, that his lessons all those years ago paid off. His only annoyance with them is that they were sent here from Beacon. They didn't need to say that they were sent here to find him, possibly recruit him. It really went and showed how desperate Ozpin was to get into contact with him. His answer would remain the same, always a flat no. He didn't care for Beacon, Atlas, or any of the academies.

"Oh... well-" She stopped when he sighed and stepped up to them.

"I will complete these bounties. You will complete a few then wait for my return. After that, we will discuss the past events until you two are content. I will take my leave shortly after." He said. Her face seemed to light up at that, as did Ren's. He nodded once then stepped out of the building, ignoring the people that glanced at him before leaving the settlement. The guild seemed to come to life again as opposed to the quiet air from earlier.

"So... who was that?" Jaune scratched his head.

"That's Six." Nora beamed.

"What, is that like his code name or real one?" He asked.

"We don't know." Ren answered.

"You two seem to know him so well, though." Pyrrha said.

"Well, we do somewhat." Nora sighed happily.

"He's..." Jaune trailed off.

"He's what?" Nora tilted her head.

"Kind of scary." He said.

"Pffft. No he's not. Right, Ren?" She asked.

"Mhmm." The boy hummed.

"You two don't think so? You didn't feel that suffocating feeling when he looked at you two?" Pyrrha asked worriedly. While some would claim she was invincible, she knew she wasn't. Against him... it felt like she was a little bunny running on borrowed time. While it must have been her being a little judgmental, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was dangerous.

"No." The two answered in unison. Jaune and Pyrrha blinked before looking at one another.

"So who is he? I know you said his name was Six, but what's his story?" Jaune asked. The guild suddenly went silent as everyone stared at the junior huntsmen and huntresses. Jaune seemed to notice shrink in on himself and slowly turned around to see everyone stare at them blankly.

"You saying you don't know who he is?" One of the guild members asked slowly.

"Y-Yeah?" Jaune gulped. Everyone seemed to converge on the four in an instant.

"You ever heard of the legend in the frontier?" Another asked.

"No." He shook his head.

"The only person in this settlement to reach onyx ranking within a few years?" Yet another one asked. Jaune responded by shaking his head, even Pyrrha was curious. In frontier towns and settlements, onyx ranking took nearly decades to achieve, to achieve it within a few years meant the individual had to do extraordinary feats. She had heard rumors from people during tournaments but she didn't really know the story. Much of her life was spent in the city so she never really had a chance to experience what it was like out here.

"Several years ago, he came in here. A large tattered cloak covered his body, nobody said anything about at first but he did something that made us all give him a look." The first member began. Even some of the younger guild members started to converge in the crowd. They knew who Six was seeing how he was the talk of the guild but never really heard what he did.

"Took an elder Death Stalker bounty, as much as the girls at the front desk tried to persuade him away, he did it. Never complained once while doing so. He didn't return for a day and we all assumed he joined the rest of the sorry lugs who took that bounty. The very next day he came in, claiming it was done. Some laughed, others scoffed, we were even tempted to call him out for lying. Two hours later, one of the scouts came back saying that the Grimm was gone. Signs of battle were evident in the cave it made its home in." The member continued, seeing the four enraptured by the tale. This prompted them to continue.

"Tell em about the bandit tribe that he took care of!" Someone called in the back.

"I'm getting to that, hold your horses." The first member snapped, turning back to the four students. "He didn't say anything, nobody did. All he did was claim his reward, left for several minutes before coming back. We used to get attacked by a rather nasty set of raiders, the worst of the worst. Most known for being so hard to find that veteran Huntsmen and Huntresses couldn't trail them. He went after them, tracked all of them down, took care of them, and brought back their knives as evidence." The member told with a grin. JNPR were enthralled, it was more along the lines of Ren and Nora who were enthralled. Pyrrha and Jaune shook in their boots but their curiosity had gotten the better of them.

"What else did he do?" Nora practically begged as she slammed her hands on the table. While she should be horrified that Six was killing people, she wasn't as fazed as some. Her and Ren had seen what people are capable of, how much more dangerous people were than Grimm at times. As she grew older, she saw why Six traveled with them for so long, how he skipped some settlements. He wanted to make sure they at least were safe in a settlement that had people that weren't killers, thieves, and etc. While he may have not known it, the two of them did indeed thrive in the settlement for a while before moving.

"Eager are ya? Well no problem, got plenty of stories to tell about him." The member chuckled. While some of the stories weren't always correct because there were several variations of them, the four students just summed that added more mystery to Six. They were told by numerous people how he traveled across the world, helping people, doing deeds that other people wouldn't, helping the sick, saving towns, etc. In the frontier of Vale, he was practically a hero, at least in their eyes. Not every place saw Six in the same light, to some he was a monster that was told to make children behave, others he was a ruthless killer, but in most cases he was just someone who wandered around the world. The last one everyone agreed on, that he was some mysterious person that traveled across Remnant without a direction.

The whole time, all four students were captivated. If only they knew they had only scratched the surface of him.

* * *

Four days went by before Six made his appearance in the settlement. It was one of those warmer winter days that reminded him of some planets he toured on. The snow had melted and the air was warmer but it held a certain chill to it. He nodded at the guards then began to walk towards the guild. He had to get his rewards for the bounties and buy more supplies before heading out. The moment he stepped into the guild, he was immediately swarmed by Nora, it seemed she took his advice and completed a bounty with her team. She was so excited to see him that it caused several guild members to laugh under their breaths. Her demeanor seemed to lighten the place up a lot.

She started to rattle off at the mouth at her completion of the bounty to him. All he did was nod at each thing she said. While it may seem like she was boasting about her skill, he knew that she was just excited to tell him about it. He saw how much she looked up to him and could only sigh when he realized she and Ren looked up to him too much. He didn't want them to be like him, if anything, he wanted them to be the opposite of him. While they would have to get their hands dirty eventually, he didn't want them to follow his path. It's why he wanted to keep a slight distance away from them.

The three of them talked, or rather they talked and he listened. The guild girl, noticed this and gave a smile. This girl that had been here since the other day was excitable, she was like a puppy that had boundless energy. She also saw the boy that kept her in check. His calm, collected demeanor reminded her of Six so much. Though, the moment she saw him walk in here after not seeing him for months, she saw that these kids were different from the others. Usually Six would tell the younger children off politely but with these two, he didn't. He listened to the girl ramble on while the boy corrected her at times. She also saw that there were two other people with the girl and the boy, she wrote them off as their teammates. She had to stifle a laugh, as did her assistant, when he walked up to the desk and waited for his reward, still listening to the girl ramble.

"Nora... calm down." Six said calmly. In the span of a few seconds, she did. While it was obvious that she was still excited, she calmed down considerably. Jaune and Pyrrha's jaws seemed to drop at that. For months, they had tried everything to control Nora when Ren couldn't or wasn't there. This man just... said one thing and she did it.

Nora, while she was still excited, did what he was told. She may not have seen Six in years but her respect for him was too great. To be honest, she viewed him like a father figure. He may not return the feeling that she feels like a daughter to him, but that was okay. So long as she knew deep in her heart that he was the one who taught her to survive, he'd always be a part of her. Ren too. Both of them owed Six their lives for saving them. He may not have been in their lives for twelve years but his teachings were never forgotten, it was practically engraved into their minds. They wanted to do something with him, even if it wasn't something special, they just wanted to spend a little more time with him.

"Six..." The guild girl called out as he was walking towards the door.

"Bounties?" He asked as he turned his head a bit. She closed her eyes and gave him a genuine smile.

"Not today, but I was just-" She started but stopped when he opened the door and was starting to exit. "Wait! Please don't leave!" She cried out.

"But... you said there were no bounties." He said.

"Well... not the ones you usually take..." She tapped her index fingers together.

"... What is it, Maaya?" He asked calmly. She seemed to squeak at the mention of her name. There were times when she forgot he knew her name, nobody really called her by her actual name. They just referred to her as the guild girl. Eventually, her title became her name which is why she never corrected people. Six really was the only person who actually got to know her and didn't judge. Despite barely speaking, people in the settlement knew he meant well. If they got past his cold demeanor, they would realize that he meant no harm to them. He was content with being in the background while they did their deeds. Bounties weren't the only things he did, he often did favors around settlements if he was denied which in turn, made people offer him more supplies. She knew it was his way of keeping busy until he left.

"Well, it's more along the lines of guiding younger generations." She gestured to JNPR. He looked back at her and then at the team for several seconds, weighing his options. While it would benefit him if he were to teach them, there was also the fact that they could report this to Ozpin. He thought about this for several minutes, ignoring the people that stared at him before sighing. He would assist them. This gave him something to do while his ammunition was being crafted. The one of the other reasons he came to this settlement was it had the necessary environment to craft his ammunition.

"I will aid them, under one condition..." He trailed off.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Your scrolls, give them to me." Six ordered. He held his hand out and watched as each of them handed him their scrolls, then placed them on the desk. She knew why he was doing this, if there was a chance that the devices were being tracked, they wouldn't know the exact location of him. The students could always come back and retrieve them, but he wouldn't expose himself for doing this job. To him, this was a task and it kept him busy until he went to Mount Glenn. There truly was nothing to do in the settlement and the next one was about a day's walk from their current location. In truth, he was still on track to activating the facility underneath Mount Glenn so that worry was out of the way. Plus, Ren and Nora wanted to prove themselves so he'd grant it.

"What are we doing?" Ren asked.

"You two wanted to show that you have grown, I want to see it. Come along." He said calmly then started to walk outside. The others jumped up in surprise before following him out shortly after.

* * *

He walked in the wilderness with the others. This was a new experience for him, to be with so many people that were of age. Nora was practically bouncing off every tree and he was quick to end that. Ren saw that he changed in some ways; out here, he was cold and distrustful towards everything. Every noise he snapped his attention to, always took in his surroundings, and even looked back every once in a while to make sure they were keeping up. They were given a bounty. All it was, was to find a den of Beowolves and eliminate them. He wouldn't be the one to be doing it though, Ren and Nora were eager to prove themselves and he wanted to see it.

"Six, look! Tracks!" Nora beamed as she pointed at the ground.

"Are you sure they are the correct ones?" He asked.

"They're not the right ones, Nora. These resemble hooves, not paws." Ren corrected.

"That is another factor you all must consider. This is the frontier, there is danger around every corner. Making the wrong judgment call can be the difference between life and death." Six stated as he walked behind them. He stopped leading them when he got to the area and let them lead. While he remained in the back overseeing them track the Beowolves, he remained vigilant while letting his thoughts wander. So far Ren and Nora have proven to be able to survive out here. The other two, not so much. He could tell they were used to living in the city, he could practically smell it on them. The Arc boy was the leader, yet he took no initiative. Didn't take the lead. They all walked for several hours, the others feet were hurt and they were tired but he remained tall, never once letting himself go off balance.

"Ren, Nora... where are we?" Six asked as he handed them a map of the area. The two of them took the map and looked at it carefully, their eyes having different viewpoints but eventually came to an agreement when they saw a cliff near their current location. If they read the map correctly then there would be a waterfall to the east of their location, one that most likely had a river connecting to it, which in turn mean there would be fish. They led the other three to the waterfall after half an hour of walking. Six nodded at the two when they looked at him. It seemed his approval was something that they would cherish. Jaune and Pyrrha had never taken them as people who sought approval from anyone but it seemed Six held a certain spot in their hearts.

"I take it that you two still remember how to hunt fish and start a fire?" Six asked, grabbing three sticks and handing the other two to them. Six and Ren sharpened their sticks with their blades while Nora just waited until Ren was done. Once he was, she started to sharpen her blade until it was nothing short of a deadly spear. He walked over to the edge of the river along with them. Each one seeing fish pass by and raised their arms before spearing a fish. They raised their spears and saw the fish on their spears wiggle around before going still. So far, they were proving that they took his lessons to heart and kept them sharp. This was good, but they still had much to learn. He then watched as they got a fire started with the other two, at least they knew how to start a fire so he wouldn't worry about that.

Jaune and Pyrrha turned green when they saw the three of them start to gut the fish they caught. Blood soaked their hands and Nora's humming didn't help in the slightest, it was too cheerful as she took Six's knife and tore the internal organs of the fish out. The two of them saw each of them cut their fish with precision and began to cook it, washing their hands in the river shortly after. Nora practically skipped back to her spot near the fire while Ren just walked and sat down. Six just stood up and turned his head to look at the two, making them flinch. He stared at them silently before grabbing two more sticks and sharpening them, throwing the spears to them shortly after.

"You two have not contributed to your team efforts. So far I am not impressed." He said bluntly. They flinched back violently, this whole time he was judging them. He watched their every move, watched their every action.

"So... how are we to increase our standing with you?" Pyrrha asked quietly.

"You will start contributing more. If you are to travel with me until we reach the settlement again, I would like to see if you are able to survive out here. So far you haven't." He stared at them. They felt themselves shrink further as he got closer until he stood right in front of them. They didn't notice until now how tall he was. He watched as they went to the edge and peered into the water, barely seeing any fish. Pyrrha seemed to have experience with a spear as she was able to catch one fairly quickly, but Jaune struggled. Six watched as the blonde knight's clothes start to get soaked as time passed. He was finally able to catch one with the assistance of Pyrrha. So far, the blonde had proved to be an incapable leader in Six's eyes. Maybe it was his training that was engraved into his mind or the fact that he saw what a true leader was, he didn't know. All he knew was that he didn't trust Jaune Arc's ability to lead if the situation called for it.

"Mr. Arc. Come with me." Six ordered calmly, ignoring the flinch from the young man.

"Y-Yes, sir." Jaune gulped as he followed Six. They walked for some time, before Six spoke up.

"I remember specifically stating for Mr. Arc to follow me, Ms. Nikos." He said without looking behind him. Her eyes went wide as saucers from her spot in the bushes, she made sure to keep her presence concealed but it seemed she didn't. How did he even hear her over the sound of the waterfall? Taking a deep breath, she slowly stepped out from the bushes and walked up to him.

"Mr. Arc. You have not proven to be a capable leader." Six said bluntly. He ignored the violent flinch from the boy and the slight glare from Pyrrha. Her glare dissipated in an instant when he looked at her. Despite her prowess in battle, she knew that she'd lose against this man. She would hold back to avoid killing him, he wouldn't.

"I'm trying, okay?" Jaune mumbled dejectedly.

"Stand up straight and speak up." Six ordered. Jaune did that in an instant. "You're position as a leader carries more weight. People trust you with their lives and your consequences are greater should you make a mistake. Nora, Ren, and Ms. Nikos are under your command. So far you have proven to me that you are incapable of taking the necessary actions to work efficiently." Six briefed. It wasn't the fact that he didn't like Jaune, but he saw that the boy didn't take his role as leader seriously. Did he realize that if he were to make a mistake then it could cost his team their lives? Pyrrha saw him belittling Jaune but he saw it as the cold truth. Six wasn't one to hold spite against anyone at first hand, it was just that he had no filter when it came to stating his opinions.

"He's trying. It's our first time being out here in the frontier." Pyrrha reasoned.

"They do not teach you this at Beacon?" Six asked.

"Well, they sort of do-" Jaune started.

"Then you should have an idea of what it is like out here. The frontier is worse compared to the cities, you two need to pay more attention to your lessons. I will teach you as I have taught Ren and Nora, but do not expect me to hold your hand." Six stated before walking away. Pyrrha patted Jaune's back soothingly. From what she understood, Six didn't say those things out of spite. He just had no filter and he didn't care, he'd rather tell someone the hard truth rather than a sweet lie. It was true they needed to contribute more but this was literally their first time being out in the wild. Ren and Nora practically grew up out here before moving to Beacon so it wasn't a surprise they knew how to survive out here.

"Well... they did say he was blunt about things." Pyrrha tried to reassure him.

"I mean, in a way, he's right. It's just weird hearing it that bluntly." Jaune said.

"Yeah, maybe we can talk to him about his tone?" She tried.

"I somehow don't believe he's going to change it. From what we saw earlier, that's just how he is." He said.

"Well, at least it's better from someone like him instead of Goodwitch." She smiled.

"Yeah, she just seems to hate me. Well, we better start heading back to... clean our meal." Jaune shuddered, turning green at the thought. She did the same and nodded with a green face.

When they reached the camp, they expected Six to be tall. That he wore some type of armor judging by his boots that were barely visible to most. What they didn't expect was for him to be an armored titan built for war. They visibly jumped in surprise when they saw him sitting on the ground with his cloak spread out, along with his materials. Nora was sitting on his right while Ren was on his left, both were observing some of the items he's collected over the years. Precious gems that would fetch a large price, food and water, ammunition magazines and shells that he wasn't able to keep on his body, throwing knives, rope, Dust of all kinds in bottles, lien, herbs, books, and countless other items. Pyrrha recognized a gem that was only able to be obtained from the most dangerous parts of Mistral. It was a precious item that was sought out by the wealthier class.

Jaune saw herbs that were often found in the outer skirts of the frontier, some that would be impossible to obtain, yet Six had several variations of them. In copious amounts too.

"Whoa..." He muttered.

"Sit down." Six instructed, watching as the two of them sat down near him. They watched as he instructed them how to gut a fish, ignoring their green faces. He showed them what parts were necessary and what parts weren't. Both cringed when internal organs sloshed between their fingers and blood got underneath their fingernails. It was a disgusting feeling, especially since the metallic smell flooded their nose. Ren and Nora just watched as he taught them, never showing disappointment nor anger when they messed up. He just let their mistakes be their learning curve.

"Hey, Six." Nora called out.

"..." He just looked at her and nodded.

"Have you ever thought about teaching at Beacon?" She asked.

"The Headmaster has sent you on this mission to recruit me, didn't he?" He asked, turning his head back to his items and inspecting them. It went quiet and he didn't say anything for a while, he didn't need to. This was expected, that the man would use the pups against him. Did the man really think he'd rope Six into his shenanigans, especially since he knew the truth about him?

"... Yes..." She said quietly.

"I will not go to Beacon. The academy is not a place I trust, nor will ever trust. It is a place I have no belonging in." He answered. That wasn't the only reason she wanted him to go. She wanted to see him every day, to make sure he wouldn't disappear into the wilds again. Her and Ren knew that deep down, he wasn't one to be chained. Outside the city walls and the academies were his hunting grounds. Why would he ever give that up? It's why they were training to be Huntsmen and Huntresses, so they could follow his footsteps and wander around, helping people like he's doing now.

"Well, will there be a chance that we'll see you again?" She asked.

"There may be. Though, you and Ren must be prepared if we never see each other again. Life is not fair, it waits for no one. If I were to go to Beacon then I would be limited in what I am able to do, and you two would focus on seeking my approval rather than growing." He answered. It was just the cold, hard truth with him. He didn't need to lie to them because they knew this was the case. He was practically impossible to pinpoint ninety-eight percent of the time. What he said did make sense though, if they were too focused on seeking his approval then they would never be able to grow. As heartbreaking as it was, they knew that he was always meant to travel alone.

The sky darkened and he kept watch as the others fell asleep. To pass the time, he let his mind wander around for the next several hours. He thought about how long it would take to get to Mount Glenn from the current settlement; doing the math in his head while factoring in all the variables, he came to the conclusion it would take him around a week and a half on foot. While they may have not wanted to leave him so soon, he needed to be on the move soon and would rather get to the facility sooner than later. The more time he wasted, the more his opportunity window started to close. Though, he would admit it was nice to see those two again.

Jaune woke up earlier than the others and yawned. He rubbed his eyes a bit before he saw Six staring at him, or at least he thought he was staring at him. It was hard to tell due to the helmet. He didn't know Six like his teammates, there were stories that told to him when he was younger but he just assumed they were made up from his parents and sisters. Jaune was oblivious at times, earning him the title of dork at Beacon and home but he adapted quickly, and he hoped that Six could at least give him some advice in the matter. He wanted to prove the giant, terrifying, monster of a man that he was a capable leader. The only thing he needed to get past was the man's cold tone of voice, which sent several shivers down his spine.

He went up to Six and was going to touch him but stopped when the Spartan spoke up.

"Do not touch me, Mr. Arc." Six said calmly. The younger boy jumped back and in alarm and rubbed his neck sheepishly, he probably should've asked if he was awake first.

"I uh... wanted to know if you could help me improve..." Jaune said quietly.

"Speak up." Six ordered.

"I wanted to know if you could help me improve." Jaune said in a louder tone of voice, not so much to where he would wake the others.

"With what?" Six asked.

"Well, I gave what you said about my leadership qualities a thought and wanted to know if you could help me. I want to be a better leader for the others." Jaune answered.

"..." Six said nothing and just stared at the boy, making him shift uncomfortably.

"So is that a no?" Jaune's shoulders dropped. He yelped when Six hit the top of his head with a fist, he barely applied any strength into that.

"Start speaking up and stand up straight. Capable leaders always display confidence in themselves. If you cannot complete these first two things then I will not aid you." Six said calmly.

"Right." Jaune nodded and puffed his chest out slightly. He coughed up a bit when Six hit him in his chest with an open palm. These strikes weren't meant to harm him considerably, they were meant to correct his mistakes more than anything.

"I said to stand up straight, not stick your chest out." Six said. He started to help Jaune's posture, then started to fix his confidence issue, and finally had managed to gauge his combat experience. To say that it was abysmal was an understatement, while he may not use a sword and was more used to his knife and other means of weaponry, Six saw countless flaws within Jaune. Most things that could be fixed if he spent more time with them, but he didn't. He needed to get this done and check up on the settlement before heading to Mount Glenn.

"So... is that it?" Jaune panted. Six taught him some things but it was more of a beating than anything.

"It is for now. We are leaving." Six said as he walked past Jaune and began to collect his materials. It took a few minutes but he eventually organized all his items into his bag then go up to the others and wake them up. Ren and Nora woke up and greeted him while Pyrrha just brushed his hand away. He gave her a flat expression from behind his helmet then reached inside his bag to grab his canteen before pouring water on her. She shrieked at the cold sensation and glared at the person who did that before gulping when she saw it was him.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly.

"..." He said nothing but just turned to the river and dunked his canteen underneath, watching as the water filled it up before putting a purification tablet inside. He did the same thing he always did before nodding to them, watching as they led the way to the den. They knew where they were supposed to go, but he noticed that Jaune seemed to be more proactive. Pyrrha too. He noticed that Nora seemed to beam in delight when she saw her teammates contribute while Ren just nodded. It seemed that they had people to look out for, to take their minds off of him while he did his business. This was good. It was good to keep his distance from them to keep them from following his footsteps and constantly hounding after him. This situation, him taking them on a mission was a good learning curve for them and a good test.

The five of them eventually came across the edge of a cliff, in the distance they saw a den. Six brought out his DMR and aimed in the scope, seeing Beowolves enter and exit the den. This would prove to be a perfect time to observe their fighting styles, but also to test Jaune's leadership skills. If he couldn't come up with at least a decent plan then he shouldn't be leading the other three, especially Ren and Nora.

"Mr. Arc. You have two minutes to come up with a plan. Go." Six said as he crouched down and observed. His hood was down while he looked through the scope. He mentally took started to countdown and just observed in silence. Minutes passed by and he looked at Jaune, seeing him have a thoughtful expression.

"Well, Pyrrha's a good marksman and combatant, so she could pick them off at a distance before aiding us up close. Ren and Nora seem to go well together although Nora should be given space due to her swings from her hammer. I'll act as bait for the most part, drawing out any Grimm and leading them to the others. Should there be more inside than we can handle, then Nora could cause a cave in with her explosives." Jaune rubbed his chin. Six thought about this plan for a while. While it wasn't the best plan, it also wasn't a bad one either. Most would just rush in and not care about their surroundings, yet Jaune seemed to take that as an added factor.

"While it has it's flaws, it is not necessarily a bad plan. Had you more time, would you come up with a better one?" Six gauged the blonde.

"Possibly. Are we on a timer?" Jaune asked.

"There are things you must consider if you are to remain in this profession. The odds will not always be in your favor, you may not always have time to come up with a full proof plan, time will be against you in many situations and it is good to get used to them. While making one on the spot is quick, you must also take into consideration of several factors." Six explained calmly. Jaune seemed to consider this and really wished he could write this down.

"What are you going to do?" Pyrrha asked.

"I will remain up here and observe. Should you all need assistance, I will provide it." Six answered curtly. He remained at his spot on the cliff, letting his cloak blow to the side from the wind as he kept his eyes on the four. He immediately noticed that they rushed at the Beowolf den and started to eliminate them. He sighed when they started to get reckless with their attacks, mainly Nora, but would leave so many openings. Though, it seemed that Arc's plan worked somewhat, he would act as bait while defending himself while the others would do the heavy lifting. He would kill one or two then let the others kill a group of them. Maybe he was wrong about the boy, while he was clearly lacking experience and needed more guiding, he was quick to adapt to his surroundings. That alone proved to be a useful skill. Six then observed as a large Grimm started to come out of the cave, only for Jaune to point at the large boulder. He watched as Nora turned her hammer into a grenade launcher and fire it around the boulder, knocking it loose. It tilted and started to plummet until it crashed on the skull of the large Grimm, killing it instantly.

Six just observed them silently, not bothering to hum or comment. He didn't need to, he had got what he needed from them and he would place their skill level as adequate. It was far from perfect, but it wasn't bad. They could use work in regards to the damage to the area around them, but for the most part they seemed to work well together. He didn't need to fire a single shot because they watched each other's backs. Yes, they had left several openings that could be dealt with in time, but they did do the job as efficiently as they could for a group of trainees. Adequate, that was what their skill level was to him. Maybe if he were to meet them again and they grew, that he'd see them as something other than that, but he viewed them as adequate. This was to be expected seeing how they are just starting out. They are learning and that was alright.

He stood up and put his DMR on his back before placing his hood up over his head. It was time to head back, for him to say goodbye and start heading towards his next destination.

* * *

The walk back to the settlement was silent for the most part. When asked about his thoughts, he merely stated that they were adequate, much to the shock of them. While he did state that they were decent in terms of teamwork, they disregarded their surroundings a majority of the time. Had there been civilians then several would've possibly been killed in the crossfire. While it was clear they were used to constant praise from some of the professors, they weren't that used to Six bluntly telling them that they were adequate at best. The professors did this to increase their confidence while giving them advice, Six didn't care about their feelings and stated what was the issue. He looked for their flaws and told them to improve upon them.

On the way back, he would give them different scenarios. He gave them a decent amount of time to come up with a solution, scolding them if they were to make the wrong choice. Every time they would make a mistake or say the wrong thing, he would scold them then lecture them on making better decisions. Although they didn't like it, they did see that he was experienced when it came to situations like this. The world was not fair, not everything would be in their favor. This wasn't meant to be their friend, it was meant to give them a realistic point of view on life. Not everything was sugar coated, the world was a bitter place that would chew them up and spit them out. Although, they did see this as a good learning experience.

They returned to the settlement after several hours. It was well into the afternoon when they stopped by the guild. When he entered, he went up to the counter and claimed the reward, splitting it evenly then handing it to them. He saw their confusion and sighed quietly from his helmet.

"I did not complete the bounty. You four did, therefore you get the reward. It is against the rules to claim a reward when you did not contribute to complete it. You four must remember this." He said. The members at the guild looked at him, while they were surprised that he wasn't the one who completed it, they did feel relieved that he was truthful in stating he wasn't the one to complete it. It just meant they could trust him more.

"So, what do we do now?" Ren asked.

"We will part ways. You all must go back to the academy and continue to learn." Six responded.

"So, this is goodbye then?" Nora asked quietly. She didn't want to cry but the tears were starting to well. It had been so long since she's seen him and she wanted to spend so much more time with him, but she they needed to go back. They couldn't stay here forever because they knew he'd be gone soon. Ren didn't want to admit it, but was along the same lines as Nora. Just as she did, he wanted to spend more time with Six. The man had practically filled the gap from the death of his parents. Although he wasn't in his life for twelve years, he technically was always with him in spirit. Plus, it was heartwarming to realize that he remembered them after all these years.

"It is." Six nodded. He saw the two teenagers slowly start to put their heads down in sadness and placed his hands on the top of their heads. While it was awkward, they didn't remotely care. They knew from their childhood that he wasn't one to display any means of affection, it's just how he was. He was so closed off from people that it just became second nature for him.

"Well, we'll see you again, right?" Ren asked.

"That depends on the situation. Both of you have proven that you've grown. Keep growing." Six said calmly. They looked up at him and nodded before wiping the little bit of tears away from their eyes. As short as it was, they did enjoy this encounter they had with him. He already knew that Ozpin sent them here, it was a low move to use people as young as them to try and recruit him. His hands were taken off of their heads and he saw them walk out, but before Jaune and Pyrrha could walk out with them, he stopped them.

"What is it?" Jaune asked.

"You two are their teammates." Six said.

"Yeah?" Pyrrha tilted her head a bit.

"Which means they trust you in their eyes. Fortunately for you, they have skills to survive out here and trust you with their lives. Unfortunately for you, I do not hold you in the same light. I do not trust that you are able to keep them safe, but I am willing to put aside some of that mistrust so long as you keep them safe." Six said bluntly. They noticed that he held a calm tone like before but it was full of distrust. He didn't trust them with Ren and Nora, but he was willing to put a minuscule amount of it aside if it meant the other two were happy. Six may not have shown it, or he did not know, but he did care about Ren and Nora's status.

"We'll keep them safe." Jaune said. He knew what Six was implying, the older man was implying that he wasn't capable of keeping his team safe, and he was destined to prove that wrong. As terrified as he was of Six, Jaune was determined to prove the man wrong about him.

"..." Six said nothing and just stared before nodding. He took another bounty off the board, got it assigned to him and left shortly after. He would complete this bounty, do his usual errands, then proceed to Mount Glenn. It was better to start the journey sooner than later, he was getting too attached to people and that bothered him for some reason.

This was a definite sign that he needed to get off the planet. A part of him didn't want to feel anything that led to mistakes.

* * *

**Hello again, here I am with another chapter. I don't know why I'm writing so much, maybe it's just a stress reliever, I don't know. To be honest, it's about the only thing that really relaxes me at this point which is why I'm writing so much, but meh. I don't have much to say other than let's get onto reviews, forgive me if they're short.**

**Alby199800: Thanks, here's another one.**

**TheFishKing: They have.**

**human dragon: Thank you.**

**Haxorus knight: Maybe, maybe not, I won't say much because I don't want to ruin the immersion for you.**

**Rookie059: Thanks mate, and I did try to create a more valid reason for him to wander now.**

**NeonNavyWriter: Thanks, keep up the good work on your stories too.**

**PhoenixGuy: Was playing it while I wrote that chapter.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: Affirmative:**

**Malgrath: I wouldn't say making friends because he doesn't care about friends, except his one, but more along the lines of making an ally so he can get off the planet.**

**KneegarFakeget: I do, I do take my time. It's just I enjoy writing so much.**

**Guest: The story will be different.**

**Guest: He does not, glad you're enjoying this.**

**Monkey-man369: Thank you, and I'll try.**

**SuperSaiyajin4Vegeta: Some people say set, others say head. People are different, but if it makes you more comfortable then I'll start writing head of hair. Also, thank you for correcting me about writing it Instillation.**

**Guest: Thank you.**

**scottusa1: Yep, thank you. Laters.**

**Guest: Hope this chapter answers it, but he'll have more of a role model relationship than anything.**

**Minxiboo: I mean, it's decent, but I'm glad you're enjoying it. As long as people are enjoying it then that's all that matters.**

**Ronmr: Indeed.**

**Double2cat: He has, which is why he sent them there. Also, you do your vibrating thing. Thanks for reviewing.**

**M3KHAN3: Yeah, my Forerunner lore is somewhat rusty but it's also a lot of history to keep track of. It's complicated and I was afraid I messed it up, but meh. I'll learn to correct my mistakes if I make some.**

**KnowingEzmend: Yeah, I try to understand people and have a good relationship with them.**

**Sm0keyPanda: It is indeed, and thank you.**

**Josephi: That made me laugh. Thank you, I needed that.**

**AMW Riptide: Thank you, I hope to keep it enjoyable for you.**

**Dead344156: Because I want to get better at cliffhangers but not to the point where I butcher it. Thanks for reviewing.**

**DarkySunRise: JNPR is still a thing. The story for RWBY is pretty much still a thing, but with some different aspects. Ren and Nora are are 17 at this point and around the cities, I'll try to brush up on that topic if I'm up to it but the main story will revolve around the settlements in the frontier. Six doesn't care what's happening in the cities. He's more worried about the problems in the frontier more than anything, seeing how those are where a majority of the facilities are.**

**Hamilton406: Indeed he did.**

**VGBlackwing: I enjoyed that, try to proof read your review a bit though. It's hard at times. I mean no offense but just proof read it a bit and you'll be golden as far as typing long reviews.**

**Lord Demolitions: Indeed.**

**Blaze1992: That's because half of them are, for some reason. I agree with you in that aspect, so you're not alone.**

**InfernoKnightmare: I enjoyed that. Also, I wouldn't say he feels pride but more along the lines that he's satisfied that they took his teachings to heart. I guess that would be pride, I don't know.**

**Main117: Thank you, I'll try to do more like it.**

**Malgrath: I'm sure you are. I try to give people chapters that they enjoy. Not everyone is going to enjoy it, and that doesn't bother me too much but at least you're enjoying it with other people, so that must mean I'm doing something right.**

**Cazador324: I had no idea what you wrote so I used google translate, but I'm glad you're enjoying it. Here's some more.**

**PoisonPen37: Thank you.**

**Reader: He did.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: Hope this chapter answers you.**

**Name In Progress: Wow, long review, not that that's a bad thing. I don't know what to say other than I enjoyed it, especially the wolf quotes. I was intrigued by the names, even if I didn't use them. Maybe I'll use them if I make another story, who knows.**

**Marco Geddes: You're welcome, here's another.**

**Mr. wolffe: Thank you, you're awesome.**

**Czechus: Thanks, I had the same thoughts about the Gods too. Here's another chapter.**

**Guest: Thank you.**

**Guest: He did, under the agreement that he at least get one facility up and running.**

**Lord of Moons: Yeah, over time I just stopped caring. I'm not perfect, in fact I'm far from perfect but at the very least I can produce decent chapters. Thank you by the way.**

**Guest: I'll think of something.**

**Somerandomperson: It's gonna start slowing down now that I have more assignments coming through. **

**Guest: I'm not going to lie to you, I had something but I forgot what it was. It might come back to me in a later chapter.**

**The Baz: Had the same thoughts about the Metaphysics. Also, kudos to you for catching that reference.**

**The Lone Swordswolf: That would be cool, but I'm afraid I'd butcher it if I actually made something like that.**

**Thankfulclock50: Thanks for the review. I'll try to keep improving upon my imagery and about the Forerunner facility, I did my best to make it at a pace that wasn't too upfront. I wanted to have a build up to it rather than say it outright, but I also didn't want to have it at the end of the chapter.**

**sacke110: Yeah, Six knows about her now. Thanks for seeing my point about the reviews.**

**York52: I tried to make it as decent as possible without dragging things out. I'd rather create something I can work with and expand upon it rather than throw something together and leave it at that.**

**Ssj1998: To fight or meet? I got a little confused because it seemed like you didn't finish your sentence. Otherwise, it's not weird. There's possibly some one else that has the same thought. As far as you liking this, I'm glad. My Gears story is one of my first and as time passes I realize how chaotic I made the main character in that, so I'm trying to flesh him out like I did with Six. In other words, I'm trying to make him not so... what's the word... cringey at times. **

**Wrath of Vajra: Thanks for the review.**

**Ghostly: Possibly.**

**So, I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't meet your needs. If it doesn't then oh well, I'm not perfect. Another thing I'd like to apologize for is the answer to the reviews. I'm trying not to say so much to where I spoil the story in the authors note because I'd like to give you guys the feel when you read it. Yet another thing, is why I named the Guild Girl that. Believe it or not, that's the Guild Girl's voice actress in Japanese and I didn't realize that she was the voice of several characters from my favorite anime. A lot of you are going to get mad probably, saying I'm stealing or something along those lines but at this point, I don't care. The ones who did give names, I at least thank you for trying, but who knows... I might use those names for another story if I create one.**

**To be honest guys, I'm tired. I'm tired of a lot of things. It's to the point where I haven't been sleeping well, most of these things are just stress. Fanfiction and some other things are really the only stress relief I have, and even then those things can only do so much for me. I don't know, things are confusing now. Yet, I'm not here to worry you guys because some, if not most, will just brush over these things. It doesn't bother me like it used to. I just... kind of live around it. Anyways, thanks for reading this and goodbye, everyone.**


	12. Chapter 12: Big Bad Wolf

Mountain Glenn. From what Six gathered, it was a failed attempt at expansion by Vale. The nearby settlements claimed that it would've been grand had the Grimm not attacked and that there was an underground city at it. He gathered as much information as he could from the nearby settlements before doing some jobs. The days started to drone on and on, not to the point where time became a blur, but to the point where he could feel them going faster. He walked like how he did when he first arrived on Remnant, for several days without stopping. It must've been five or six days since he's slept and he would do so when he was near the destination. People saw him pass by and some waved at him while others just stared, it didn't matter to him.

If he were to get the facility up and running, then he could just transport to the main facility where the Monitor was located. Technically, she was everywhere, but chose to remain at the main facility. From what he understood, there was a grid that would allow him to rapidly reach several areas. This proved to be beneficial in his eyes. His thoughts were cut short when he came across an abandoned town. Everything was old and rotting. Wood was being eaten away, windows were frail and broken, houses were filled with nothing but abandoned furniture, and all the shops were vacant. There were signs of battle and he observed it as he walked through the town. The whole area seemed to be filled with nothing but despair while he walked through the main street. A sigh escaped his lips quietly when he looked at both sides of him, seeing nothing but a fallen plot of land that probably held decent people.

There was nothing that could be done. He wasn't going to waste time because he had an objective to complete.

The Monitor had stated that the facility was hidden deep underground, which meant he probably had to do some digging around. It was bad enough that it was closer to the city than he liked... but him having to dig through countless piles of rubble added another irritating factor. He pushed the feeling down and prepared for it, which is why he made some explosives. It wasn't hard for him to make honestly, it took a while since it was a delicate process but it wasn't hard. While some would immediately start to panic when they either saw or heard he had explosives on him, he was calm. He knew what he was doing and took the necessary precautions in handling them throughout the journey. Nothing he did wasn't without a reason, especially since the type he made was more powerful than anything Remnant has ever thought of. They relied too much on Dust for their products.

He suddenly stopped when he felt something watching him. Years of experience made him trust his gut when it screamed that someone was watching him. Silence filled the air for a while and he looked around every so often before continuing his journey. He would deal with the threat, if there was one, when he reached Mt. Glenn, he had already wasted enough time as it is. The facility would respond to his signal, which in turn would give him a location, and he would get it up and running. Once he did, the Monitor would have control over it and she would help him make a new core for his suit. She had stated that each and every facility he got under her control, he would receive either some supplies or an upgrade for him. It was clear she trusted him. The same could not be said for him. He only trusted one person, and that was Maaya.

Ignoring those thoughts, he relaxed a bit before continuing his journey calmly. While there were times he would rather be in a vehicle, walking did provide him with time to let his thoughts wander around. The days started to slip by once again. Most days turned rainy. The dark clouds painted the sky a menacing grey color and the shower of rain impacted his hood, seeping through his cloak and onto his armor. He didn't mind, in fact, he enjoyed it a bit. Rainy days were sometimes welcoming and if he was alone then he would take his hood down and let the droplets impact his helmet. He came across a clearing and he could see the destination from the distance.

The wind blew behind him and the leaves in the trees swayed like his cloak. Both were soaked wet with rain while he just stared at the fallen city ahead. His hood was down and the rain impacted his helmet with a soft noise. Nothing was said as he just enjoyed the calm noises of the rainy day before he rotated his head a bit then continued forward. He looked down at his TACPAD and sent a signal, waiting thirty seconds before something responded back and he got a location. Minutes of walking eventually turned into an hour before he even remotely came to the entrance of the location. To say that it was a failure would be an understatement, the whole location was a disaster.

He didn't know what happened but he didn't care. Nothing could be done for this place; it looked abandoned for practically decades, much more than what he's seen in the frontier. It looks like the expansion was large, too large for some to handle and maybe that's what caused the Grimm to come. Negativity from the stress of expanding and the possibility that Grimm kept attacking. They should've just started off at a moderate size then started to expand as years went on, that would have been a more logical route. They bit off more than they could chew and the price was a failed expansion. Oh well, nothing could be done about it now.

The day seemed to drag on as he explored the city for a few hours, just exploring where the location of the facility would be. Although it was abandoned, it was an interesting location. So many things to discover from the ruins, plus there was the fact that he hadn't explored the underground yet. These things could wait for a further date, should he come back in case he missed something. Right now, he did nothing but explore the city while sending signals out every so often. There were times he had to backtrack a bit when he missed a certain spot or the area was cut off by rubble. He only had so much explosives and wasting them on every pile of rubble proved to be counterproductive. Some spots he would climb up on a broken down building and would look around the area before sending his signal again.

The next few days were spent exploring the city vigorously and he found one entrance that would lead underground.

Pretty soon, he sent his final one and received a location that was underground. By this time, the sky was dark and it had been a few days since he's slept so he would turn in for the night. He went to an abandoned building, made his way towards the top and started a small fire. Traps were set near the entrances while his fire burned dimly. Simple snares that were well hidden around the building and some noise traps that would alert him. In the morning, he would retrieve them and make his way underground to the facility. It would take some time to find the facility since it was deep underground and take even longer to explore the facility but at the very least, it was well hidden.

The fire offered a small sense of illumination as he took an inventory of his items. He had plenty of food and water, his ammunition was plentiful, but it seemed that he was running slightly low on lien. The last few jobs he had done for free basically because it seemed the funds were being pulled back by a higher authority. The settlements looked absolutely shameful that they couldn't pay him but he didn't care. While it was beneficial that he was paid for his services, he wasn't angry at them for not paying him. All that mattered in the end was that they had breathing room. He knew who was doing it. It was either Ozpin or the Council, and the answer was leaning closer and closer to the former. He knew what the man was doing; trying to flush him out in hopes of interacting with him.

Actions like that didn't affect him, they affected the settlement more than anything. This led to a negative effect on the denizens of the settlement, which in turn attracted more Grimm to the area. Lien only bought him supplies, such as food. Half the time he hunted his food anyways. Learning how to hunt for food was one of the most basic things that a wolf could learn. He shook his head in annoyance at the actions the man was causing and organized his items. Worst case scenario, he gives up one of the jewels he acquired and let the settlement make money off of it. The jewels weren't needed from him, he only really kept them if he needed to trade when no bounties were available and giving one or two up wasn't a big deal. Plus, it freed up space for him to have more necessary items.

When he started to put away the items, he came across something. It was a a little picture book that Myne and her sister made together. The first page was of him bringing Myne back in a crib, the second was of him making medicine in the kitchen, the third was of him and their father fighting Grimm, the fourth was of him giving them money sometimes, and the final one was of him pulling them out of the snow. He blinked at this and observed the crude drawings carefully before putting the little book in his bag gently. If they had taken the time to make this for him then he would take the time to look at it and keep it.

Tomorrow was a big day, and it would continue to be until he found the facility.

He woke up in the middle of the night after some hours. The fire was out and there was nothing but a small trail of smoke that rose to the sky. One of his traps had gone off judging by the sound of a voice. It was clearly male but there were multiple ones also. His motion tracker picked up three blips that were unknown but one of them suddenly turned red. He jumped off the side of the building and landed, creating a spiderweb of cracks in the ground. He dove out of the way when the three looked in the direction. One of them started to head towards him quickly while he just hid around the corner, reaching underneath his cloak to equip his combat knife.

The hostile rounded the corner and he gripped their neck tightly, they gagged at the sudden grip before flailing around when he sunk the knife into their neck. He just let them flail around wildly while they slowly bled out before dropping the body, seeing that it was White Fang. This brought several questions as to why they were here, but that would be answered soon. He quickly rushed inside the abandoned building, ignoring their startled cries before he slashed the neck of the one that wasn't trapped. Blood sprayed into the air and splattered on the ground, making the victim clutch their throat tightly before falling over. He just stared at the deceased terrorist before turning his gaze to the final one, who started to flail around wildly.

He stared at her with a flat face as she hung upside down before he gripped her face tightly.

"Quiet." He ordered. In an instant, her mouth snapped shut and all was silent. She knew who he was, everyone in the White Fang knew who he was. The thing in front of her was the epitome of terror. There were countless rumors about him, that he was the accumulation of all the humans they killed. Whenever they had to do assignments out in the frontier, he was always there after some time. He's made countless camps disappear and they lost hundreds of members to him. The only reason she knew he was male was because he just spoke now. No pleading, no excuse, nothing would save her from the thing in front of her. All she could do was literally vibrate in terror and stare at the body of her comrade.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked calmly.

"..." She couldn't talk. Her throat locked up tightly, no one could blame her, she was staring into death itself.

"What are the White Fang doing out here?" He asked with more force, this time he began to squeeze her neck. A dull popping noise was heard and she started to whimper in pain.

"W-We're out here because our superior wanted us to. H-He's been planning to create a hole in Vale and unleash Grimm. He said it would show humans our might." She choked from her spot. The blood was rushing to her head at a faster rate as he just stared at her.

"How?" He interrogated.

"There's a metro station underneath the city that's north of here. We have a train that we were going to use to breach the large blast doors. There's explosives inside each cart near the top. If we had those Paladins, then we would use those also. We just wanted to show people that we were tired of being pushed around!" She answered fearfully.

"..." He said nothing else. She begged him to let her go but he didn't care, the only thing he did was drag the blade of his knife across her neck. Her hands shot up and clutched the wound but after a couple of minutes, her hands dangled below her. He stared at the body as blood dripped onto the ground and started to make a puddle below. Nothing was said as he turned away from the body then went up the building, mulling over his thoughts about the train. If he still had explosives after he found the facility then he could use the rest to put the train out of commission. This meant he needed to get to the facility sooner than what he would like but he brushed it aside. When he reached the top of the building, he collected his items then began to head towards the location.

He walked for a while. Minutes turned to tens of minutes before that turned to an hour of walking, then two hours before he even came across a large sinkhole in the middle of the street. Near the edge of it, he saw a black and red object. There was an animal, a dog to be specific, barking near the edge. He stepped closer and saw a hand gripping the edge and a slight grunting noise. From the tone, it was female. He saw the rubble begin to wobble and begin to fall before he rushed over.

The girl hanging on felt the rubble begin to give away and she gave a shrill scream when it did. She clutched her eyes shut and hoped that she landed on something soft. A few seconds went by and she opened her eyes to see herself dangling in the air, staring into the dark abyss. She craned her head to the side to see a hand gripping the back of her hood before she was hoisted up slowly after a few seconds. After a few more seconds, she found her feet plant on the stable ground below her. She found herself looking up at a cloaked titan, and a large bag on his back that held countless supplies and items. Silence seemed to reign upon the two of them as they just stared at one another.

He said nothing as he picked up her weapon and handed it to her, waiting for her to accept it. A few seconds went by and she blinked a bit before accepting her weapon with silence. It wasn't like her to be silent but for some reason, she was during this encounter. It was like there was something that kept her mouth from moving or even to say thank you. A noise made her look to see the dog start to whimper. She went over to it and started to comfort it through pats but it was clear that it was afraid of the man in front of them.

She then turned to see him bring up his arm, stare at it for a few seconds, then put it down. He peered into the hole and observed it for around a minute, then to her shock, jumped in. She gave a shrill cry of surprise when he did and quickly rushed to the edge.

"Hey, wait!" She called out. Silence was the only thing that met her and she stared into the pitch black hole. The silence seemed to last for several minutes before she stepped back from the sinkhole and started to walk back to her camp. As she slowly walked back to it, her thoughts began to mull over. Who was he? For the most part it was just that one question over and over again. The one thing that seemed to stick out the most was his cloak. It was tattered, dirty, had a certain aura to it that held nothing but stories of travel. She didn't know why but for some reason something about him felt familiar, like she was meeting someone she wanted to always meet. There were thoughts that just clouded her mind as she walked with her dog to the camp.

It wasn't until she actually reached the camp did she come to the realization of who he was. The mysterious man that had saved her was the one her mother always told her and her sister for a bedtime story. It was of a man that wandered around Remnant, never stopping once. Jaune had said that he met someone that matched that description a few weeks ago. It wasn't until she realized that he had met the fable of the stories and wouldn't stop asking questions about him. Ren and Nora were too eager to tell the story about him, which only fueled her childish glee. When she finally reached camp, seemingly ignoring everyone's worried questions about her, did she finally realize who she met.

It was at this moment did Ruby Rose meet the Big Bad Wolf.

* * *

Six landed on the roof of an underground building. His boots seemed to create a small set of cracks on the roof below him and he peered at the underground city. It was an interesting sight to be honest, who knows what this could've been like had the entire expansion not failed. He looked down at his TACPAD then sent a signal, receiving one back after a minute. This one was stronger and he was finally able to get a location, it was then marked on his helmet and he breathed in relief at finally being able to find it. A sudden light appeared behind him and he looked over his shoulder to see two White Fang appear behind him.

They seemed shocked at the sudden sight of him but he didn't care and wasted no time in engaging them. He rushed up to the one on the right then jammed his index and middle finger into the location of the man's eyes. His fingers easily broke the mask and penetrated the man's eyes, making his scream in agony. Six then gripped his face and started to squeeze tightly, until he could feel the skull start to crack under the pressure before blood splattered all over the ground. He dropped the mangled corpse and turned to the other man, quickly rushing up to him and knocked the gun away. His hand clamped around the terrorist's throat tightly and he carried him over to the edge. Although he couldn't see it, he knew the man was terrified. Terrified that a monster was down here.

Six ignored the man's cries before breaking his neck effortlessly. The body dangled in his hand before he let go and watched it plummet off the side of the building; soon after he let go, there was a loud splat as the body impacted the ground. He could see blood begin to pool around the broken corpse before he turned to sight ahead. Crouching down, he brought out his DMR and aimed through the scope, peering across the underground city. His eyes closed and he focused his hearing, relishing in the quiet for a few seconds before he heard faint chatter. It took a few minutes but he picked up a location and peered through his scope again.

Several minutes of observing passed by and he jumped off the multistory building. He had to roll a few times to break his fall, there was slight pain but otherwise he was fine. It wasn't even agonizing pain, it was more along the lines of discomfort. While he could've went down the stairs, he needed to get to the train and sabotage it before it could leave. While he would like to use the explosives for any rubble that led to the facility, he figured that it would be more beneficial to destroy the train to keep it from leaving. If it meant that civilians could be kept from the catastrophe, then he'd push down his irritation of using his explosives. Lives were more important and the ones threatening the innocent lives needed to be eliminated.

He trekked through the abandoned streets and alleyways with purpose. As he got closer to his destination, he heard voices and eventually came across a rather large set of train tracks. He went to the corner of the building and placed his hand on the corner of it, peering around to see a train on the tracks. There were several White Fang spread out throughout the area and his eyes narrowed. They shouldn't be here. It didn't make any sense that they were this far out from the city, he knew that they only stayed in the city because of him. This gave him all the more reason to go into the city now. At first, he wasn't and was going to let the authorities handle them, but if they weren't doing anything about them... then he would. They were getting too bold now and he'd rather finally cut the head off the snake before it got too dangerous.

A White Fang looked towards his direction and he quickly went around the corner before they could even see him. He darted behind buildings, keeping the train in his sights before seeing several red blips on his motion sensor. It would be foolish to compromise his position before he could plant the explosives. Several White Fang spotted him and started to aim their weapons but he was quick. Before half of them could react, he reached onto his chest and brought out five throwing knives. He threw them at blinding speeds and blades were suddenly lodged into five terrorists' necks. The remaining two gaped at the sudden deaths of their comrades but noticed that he was already on them. Both tried to scream but he slammed his hand against the first one's throat, caving it in then gripped the second one's head. He twisted it quickly and listened their neck snap and their head turn 180 degrees around.

He ignored the wet gurgles of the ones choking on their blood and continued to dash past the abandoned buildings. Each building turned to blurs as he darted past each one before suddenly skidding to a stop when he reached the last one. He slowly dragged his body across the side of the building while peering left and right. A majority of the White Fang were near the back of the train, which meant that there were probably a few inside or near the front. Still, if his position were to be compromised then at least he could get on the train and get to the front. His current objective was to set explosives inside the controls and detonate it when he got a safe distance away. As long as the train never left its current position then he could detonate it and keep the locomotive grounded.

With a sudden burst of calculated speed, he dove through a cart, slashing the throat of a White Fang before making his way to the front. He rushed to the front of the train, crouched down a bit then jumped up onto the top of it. His boots hit the hard surface below him and he crouched down slightly before going to the rear of the engine. From the looks of it, it looked like a standard diesel train engine. He dropped down near the rear and the connected cable cart. As soon as he landed, the train started to move and he blinked once before prying the door open.

There was two White Fang near the controls saying something about how a group of huntresses were above ground. He wasted no time and quickly rushed up to them, the looks of horror on their faces would've been comical had he cared.

The first one managed to fire a gun at him and his shields flared up in response before he equipped his shotgun and fired it into one of them. Her body was suddenly thrown against the controls and a large hole was ripped into it, splattering blood and organs all over the controls. The second one fired the assault rifle at him and he just raised his arm to shield his helmet before turning the barrel of his shotgun at him. The White Fang's head suddenly burst open and a shower of red mist splattered against the window. He watched as the body crumbled to the ground and blood started to gush from the wound. This happened within a few seconds and the train was starting to pick up speed; he quickly looked around the controls before finding a lever. His hand gripped the body of the female and threw it behind him, ignoring the disgusting wet splat as it impacted the ground, then pulled the lever.

The train had already left the station, which was quite unfortunate and presented several problems, but he did manage to stop it before it could get too far. He noticed that the train continued but was slowing down as time progressed. Eventually it stopped and he started to place the a set of explosives on the controls. There were voices heading towards him and he aimed his shotgun at the door and waited for it to open. As soon as it opened and the White Fang looked it him, he pulled the trigger and watched their body fly back. Blood flew through the air and the body landed with a loud thump before he turned his sight to the others. They opened fire on him but all he did was take cover behind the door, firing a shell or two at the nearest members and killing them instantly. When two fell, the other three across the cart fired. He equipped his DMR and fired three shots. Each round sailed through the air and planted themselves into their skulls.

"Oh fuck!" One of them cried out before exiting the car. The remaining ones looked at him in fear and started to follow after. Only one managed to get out while the others fell over dead. He gunned them down mercilessly before rushing after the others. In the span of a few seconds, he was already in the other cart with the door in his hand. Some of them fell over in fear and tried to scramble away from him. Their hearts were pounding in their chests and threatened to break their rib cages. Terror clouded their minds and made them unable to move.

None of this mattered to Six. He felt nothing for them, they made their choice. Not every faunus was bad in his opinion since there were countless ones he's come across in the settlements. The White Fang were similar to insurrectionists, only more fanatical in his eyes.

He started to fire his DMR into the ones that were too scared to do anything. No amount of pleading would deter him from killing all of them. A single shot and the thumping of a dead body shook them all from their spots and try to fight back. They fired at him and his shields flared up in response but he retaliated by firing into the masses, killing three with instantly when the rounds entered their skulls. He rushed forward and equipped his shotgun, firing it twice and killing one that tried to jump at him before killing another that tried to slide underneath him. Their faces contorted into one of pure horror when they realized how fast he was, that no matter how many rushed at him or even tried to play it smart, he was ahead of them.

He watched as they started to run from him as he killed more. Each time they ran and exited a car, he was following shortly after. He started to barrel through doors and kill the White Fang that tried to ambush him before following the runners. The dozen or so White Fang that were running from him started to dwindle in numbers with each passing train car. Eventually, he came across the last car towards the end when he saw the final three survivors. There was a White Fang was slightly taller than Six and carried what looked like a combination of a chainsaw and a sword. Six saw his muscles tighten considerably while the other ones seemed to cower in absolute fear. He could tell they were terrified.

"You damn monster... they said you only roamed in the frontier." The man with the chainsword said.

"..." Six didn't respond, all he did was reload his shotgun then pump it.

"It doesn't matter, demon. The moment we kill you then we can start to show the humans our might." The man said. Six switched weapons then reloaded his DMR and quickly fired into the other two. Their bodies slumped against the corners of the car and there was no one left but the tall man. Six could tell he held authority and was possibly the highest ranking member here. It would be wise to keep him alive to give up the locations of the other White Fang cells.

The man rushed at him, swinging his chainsaw in a wide arc horizontally. Six ducked underneath it then sidestepped the next attack, throwing a single jab at the man's chest and knocking him back a bit. His fists tightened up and he held his arms up defensively. He waited until the man rushed at him again and started to swing his chainsaw at him again. The man seemed to learn from his first mistake then sent his foot out to kick Six in his chest, but the Spartan knocked it to the side before grabbing it. Six threw the man to the side of the cart easily then kicked his chest. He didn't give the man any breathing room before hauling him to his feet and striking him in several sensitive spots on his chest. While the man was experienced, he was used to overpowering his opponents using his size. Six was used to technique and using his augmentations in tandem.

It's what differentiated Six from his enemies. He used everything at his disposal. While he was used to having his suit on a majority of the time and was fairly certain it helped him win battles, he always kept an open mind about his opponent. His suit merely assisted him. It was his skill and experience that made him a force to be reckoned with.

The man charged all of his aura into his arms and hit Six in his forearms, making him stumble a bit before rushing at the Spartan. He suddenly engulfed Six in a bear hug and poured all of his aura into his arms, waiting to hear the crack of bones. Six sighed then flicked his arms out, making the man's arms spread out suddenly, then reared his hands outwards. He then slammed both his open palms against the man's ears and made him scream in pain. Six then delivered a swift strike to the man's diaphragm then another one to his ribs. While the man was slightly stunned, Six then knocked a punch to the side before kicking the man's right knee out.

The man couldn't breath and he couldn't get past the intense ringing in his ears. He wanted to run. Run away from this thing that threatened to annihilate the entire Fang. They were tired of the faunus being pushed around and wanted to step up. At first, it was just being more forceful with their protests before that eventually turned to more violent actions to get rights. This lasted for a while, it was working for the next few months before this... thing showed up. When their violent actions started to spread into the frontier, that was when this thing showed up. The monster of the frontier and the demon that made every White Fang shake in their boots. In their eyes, he was a demon. One that showed no mercy to them and restricted them to the city, where they had to live in the gutters like rats.

"W-Wait..." The man raised his left arm shakily.

"..." Six didn't respond and grabbed the arm, slamming an open palm against the elbow and listened to the crack. He heard the man scream in pain but ignored it. All he did was continue his assault. He threw the limp appendage aside before gripping the man's shoulders then slamming his knee upwards, breaking the mask easily as well as the man's nose. The aura had long since been broken from his strikes. Blood shot from the man's nose like a geyser and the man stumbled. Six twisted his foot to the side then it shot forward towards the man's right knee. Another sickening crack was heard as he watched the leg bend backwards and the man fall to the ground.

Screams echoed throughout the train car as the giant faunus tried to crawl away. His left arm bent backwards and his right leg bent at an unnatural angle. His mask fell apart and Six saw the fearful expression adorn the man's face as he crawled backwards weakly. Nothing was said as Six just walked towards him silently, his boots were the only sound besides the crawling of the man's body and his pleas. He felt nothing for the man before him. All he did was stalk closer and closer to him before gripping his neck then throwing him into one of the walls violently. The side of the train car seemed to warp with how hard he threw the man.

"You will give me everything you know about the White Fang in Vale. I will not ask twice nor will I show mercy if you do not comply." Six said evenly. He brought out his knife then placed it against the man's throat. He watched as the man's face seemed to morph into one of pure terror. Each question he asked, he would be given the truthful answer to. Ten minutes of sensitive information logged into Six's brain that would serve him greatly. The man beneath him went from being a proud member to a fearful animal after one beating. Six's expression never wavered from his calm, collected one as he listened to the man shakily answer. Eventually, the man ran out of information and Six decided that he wasn't worth keeping alive. It was worse that he was a Lieutenant of the White Fang, but was willing to give up information so easily.

"You're going to let me go, right?" The Lieutenant asked.

"..." Six stared at him before pressing his knife against the Lieutenant's throat harshly, and whipped it to the side. Blood sprayed from the wound and landed against the walls and windows of the train car. He watched as the faunus below him reached out shakily and while he stared at him with an indifferent expression, before he stood up and left. The last thing the Lieutenant saw was Six's figure slowly start to disappear as his vision faded away.

His final thoughts were of how he ended up. He saw countless victims of his actions pleading for their lives while he executed them. Ironic how he thought himself as a righteous freedom fighter. It only took one encounter with a demon to show him that he was just a mere insect.

One that had recently been squashed.

* * *

Six walked down the long tunnel in silence. His back was facing the train before he reached into his bag and he pulled out a detonator. A slight amount of pressure was all he needed to feel the force of the explosion on his back. The gust of wind blew his cloak as he walked away from the fire. That was the only thing that illuminated the dark tunnel while he traversed through it. He was glad that he had two sets of explosives in case something like this were to occur. Sabotaging a White Fang operation really wasn't on his list of agendas to accomplish but he was glad that he did, otherwise there would've been a catastrophe. The train was immobile now that the engine was destroyed, a majority of the White Fang were deceased, and he had managed to gather some information. It seems after he gets this facility up and running, he might travel into the city and eliminate the White Fang. Another thing he could do was give an anonymous tip to the authorities.

This just added another set of problems that he had to deal with. He'd manage though, if he were to bring down the Vale branch of the White Fang, then it would have to be when he was closer to the city. For the most part, he'd let huntsmen and huntresses or the local authorities handle them. Someone needed to keep an eye on the outer settlement on Remnant and he'd be the one to do that. Plus, traveling meant he could get to each facility and have more supplies at his disposal. There was also the fact that he had to either contain or kill this woman that threatened humanity.

A deep sigh escaped his lips at the amount of problems, but it was good. This kept him busy as he journeyed to get off the planet and get back to the UNSC. The ground below him kicked up dust and dirt each time he took a step. This could've been an interesting place to visit had it not fallen but there was nothing that could be done. Poor planning and defenses caused this so he didn't feel anything.

Minutes turned to tens of minutes as he walked through the tunnel, towards the objective on his helmet. He saw that he was getting closer and closer as time passed on. As he came back to the stop the train was originally at, he looked to see a small crater near one of the buildings. That wasn't there before. He knew what that spot looked like because he had originally been there for a few seconds, before going around the buildings to the train. His DMR was equipped and he went up to the spot, kneeling down and rubbing some of the rubble between his fingers. It was flicked from his fingers and he stood up to his full height before looking around carefully, scanning every detail that seemed out of place.

A noise to his right made him perk up and go on alert. His motion tracker picked up an unknown blip near one of the walls of an abandoned building. As he walked towards it, he heard the sound of breathing on the other side. It seemed to quicken as he got closer until he was on the other side of the wall. His hand brushed up against the broken building carefully before stopping at a certain spot. Nothing was heard for the next few seconds before his fist clenched tightly and he sent it through the wall. It burst through easily. Several surprised cries were heard and he gripped the collar of the nearest person before hauling them through the wall.

He swung them around quickly and lifted then in the air by the neck. In his hands was a rather lanky individual with messy green hair and round glasses. The man seemed shocked that he was being held effortlessly in the air, but also because of the man in front of him. He had heard from Ozpin that the man in front of him was hard to find, and that he was to try and convince him to discuss some things at Beacon.

"Good evening, sir. If I may ask, may you put me down?" The man asked.

"..." Six just stared at him. He stared at the man in front of him with slightly narrowed eyes and kept him up in the air. The man on the other hand, felt extremely uncomfortable as time passed. A suffocating feeling was starting to clog his throat up.

"Sir?" The man asked.

"Those four, behind the wall. Tell them to come out and lower their weapons." Six ordered. He knew that there were four others because he saw their blips on his motion tracker. They armed their weapons because he could hear them do it.

"I have no idea what you're-" The man suddenly choked when Six's hand went from his collar to his throat in an instant.

"Now..." Six ordered.

"Girls... come out... and lower your weapons..." The green haired man gagged. Six watched as four teenage girls seemed to slowly creep around the corner. Their weapons were out and aimed but they seemed to lower them as ordered. The first one had a red and black attire on and looked like a splitting image of someone he knew all too well. He sighed when he guessed that this was Ruby Rose, Summer's daughter. The next one was a girl with long blonde hair, a large bust, and had gauntlets around her wrists. A girl in all white attire with piercing blue eyes, a scar over one of her eyes, and a rapier as a weapon seemed to stare at him. The final girl was wearing all black with some white on her clothes. She had a bow on her head that would twitch every few seconds, and amber eyes. When he stared into her eyes, he saw nothing but pure fear.

She looked absolutely terrified that he was standing right there and every primal instinct she had was telling her to run. It was the same look the White Fang had before he killed them. His eyes seemed to narrow in suspicion and he knew that she knew, because he saw her flinch when he turned his gaze to her. If she were to be a threat then he'd eliminate her, if not then he'd leave her alone.

He looked at the man dangling in his arms then set him down roughly before shoving him back. Both parties seemed to stare at one another in silence before Summer's daughter, Ruby, broke it.

"Oh my gosh! It's you! I didn't think I'd ever get to meet you! Mom would always tell me and Yang bed time stories about you and your travels. She said that you were this really cool mysterious guy that always wore a cloak. She said it was like you were-" She seemed to ramble on. A quiet sigh escaped his lips and was barely audible as he listened to the doppelganger of Summer. She was just like her mother. Loud, hyper, and never seemed to know when to stop. As much as he'd like to listen to her talk like her mother does, he really didn't have the time. To add onto that, he really didn't want to. It's why he started to walk away, ignoring the surprised cries of the the others.

"Wait! Where are you going? I never got to thank you for saving me!" She cried out.

"You don't need to thank me." Six said calmly as he continued to walk.

"So cool!" She gushed quietly before zooming up to him. He had to stop when a flurry of rose petals suddenly surrounded him and she was in front of him.

"..." He just stared at her as she continued to gush about him. Pretty soon the blonde one was in front of him and gushing also. The longer he looked at her, the more she looked like Raven Branwen. He guessed that this was her daughter, yet she seemed nothing like her mother. All he did was stare at the two as they looked at him with stars in their eyes and he sighed the longer they droned on.

"While I would enjoy this whole meeting your idol topic, we need to get back on our mission. Girls, look around for clues while I discuss some things with this man!" The green-haired individual exclaimed quickly.

"But professor-" The blonde started.

"Doctor!" He corrected suddenly.

"Right, doctor. We haven't even gotten his autograph yet!" She whined.

"There may be another time. For now, let's search around for criminal activity!" He said.

"Come one, sis. We'll meet him again. I think." Ruby said to the blonde. The older girl seemed a little crestfallen but nodded and followed her team, she could see that Ruby was bummed out though. It seemed that the silver-eyed girl really wanted him to say something. She had heard countless stories of how he was a living legend within the frontier and it had always been her dream to come face to face with him. Her and her older sister wished for nothing but that.

"Now, my mysterious fellow. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck-" The man started to introduce, only to give a sudden cry of shock when Six was suddenly vacant from his spot. He looked ahead to see Six walking away from him and was already quite a distance away. Oobleck quickly rushed up to Six and stood in front of him, ignoring the look of the Spartan.

"Move." Six said calmly.

"While I will admit that it was a bit rude of you to ignore me. I have been informed that you are quite brutally honest." Oobleck stated.

"..." Six just stared at him before walking past him again. He didn't have time to associate with a disheveled huntsman.

"If you would just take a moment of your time to hear what I have to say." Oobleck said.

"Tell Headmaster Ozpin I am not interested. I will never be interested nor do I care." Six said evenly.

"I wasn't here to recruit you. Personally, I know when to back off when someone is not interested." Oobleck said.

"Yet you came after me just now." Six countered as he turned to look over his shoulder.

"I wanted to ask you if you had seen any criminal activity. We all heard an explosion recently down the tunnel and suspected that there were criminals, specifically White Fang in the area. I suspect that you had something of value for us." Oobleck said.

"... Look around." Six said calmly. He began to walk away again and saw that the man wasn't following him anymore. The only sound was boots impacting the ground below and the most relieving sight was the objective getting closer and closer again. Several times he had to make sure the man nor the huntresses weren't following him. In fact, he didn't directly go to the objective until he saw them find a way out of the underground metro. Their faces were green and everyone, with the exception of Oobleck, looked traumatized. He suspected they had found the train full of dead bodies. Yes, he could've been more clean with his kills but there was nothing that could be done about it.

All he did was trail them until they found a way out. Once he was sure they were out, he began his trek back to the location of the facility. Past the train stop, through some abandoned buildings, and other obstacles, he found what he was looking for. A large pile of rubble that looked like a collapsed building had fallen on it. He observed the surrounding area and begun to haul different sizes of rubble out of the way for the next several minutes. The only sound was of him moving rubble and throwing it to the side haphazardly. Eventually this continued on for around fifteen minutes before he found himself at a satisfactory spot. He set the charges in some of the nooks of the remaining rubble.

Once the remaining explosives were set, he walked a few yards away then took cover behind a fallen building. He clicked the detonator and listened to the sudden explosion. Dust kicked up and the ground seemed to shake underneath him while he just peeked around the building to see a dark hole now. Tiny bits and pieces of rubble seemed to still fall from above but he ignored it as he walked towards the dark hole. He turned on his night vision and entered the hole, equipping his DMR in case something were to be in here with him.

All was silent as he just traversed through the dark tunnel, aiming his weapon when he heard the slightest sound. Tens of minutes passed by before he was thrown into darkness. He was probably halfway through his trek through the tunnel before his night vision turned off suddenly. His hand hit the side of his helmet before sighing when he realized that his suit was starting to lose some of its functions. The remaining power supply was starting to run low, this only fueled his drive to get the facility powered up faster. He turned on the small flashlight on his DMR then continued.

Slowly but surely, the walls started to look more metallic as he walked more. The ground below seemed to slope downwards and this continued for the next few minutes. He had arrived at a door that was like the main facility, only slightly smaller. The sound of his armored boots impacting the ground echoed as he went up to the door and rubbed his hand on it. The same light as before appeared and soon after, a small console near the right of the door materialized. Now that it was his second time doing this, he went up to it and activated it. It disintegrated the moment he took his hand off and the doors opened quickly. The sudden darkness in here was more comforting than the one outside.

Soon, the dim lights seemed to hum to life and the facility started to glow. It took almost a minute for everything to finally be illuminated enough for him to turn off his flashlight. He put his DMR on his back and walked forward, noticing that this facility was more simplistic than the main one. It only had three pathways, each one sealed behind a door. His attention was suddenly caught when a ramp appeared near the middle of the room. Shortly after the ramp appeared; a small, blue hard light bridge had materialized. A disk-like platform slowly floated down from the ceiling and snapped into place where the hard light catwalk ended.

He walked up the ramp calmly and across the bridge. When he reached the platform, two openings in it appeared and two handles slowly came up. Little orbs were lighting up and he waited until they were fully illuminated before placing his hands on them. He closed his eyes as the sudden feeling like the last facility appeared and he let go quickly. His shields were taken down and the alarming beeping noise reached his ears. A few seconds went by and the familiar hum of his shields returning to full capacity made him sigh in relief. He looked down at his hands then clenched his fists tightly, listening to the flexing of the material before letting them go. For some reason, it just felt comforting when he did that.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Auspicious Spark exclaimed. Her shell materialized from the ceiling and she zoomed around the facility; opening doors, creating bridges, checking the status of the facility. She was basically doing a routine check of the complex.

"..." He just stared at her.

"I must thank you, Reclaimer. It has been so long since I've been in this much control, but we still are barely scratching the surface I'm afraid." She sighed. Although she had said that, she truly was ecstatic that he managed to get his up and running.

"You agreed to help me with another power supply for my suit." He said evenly.

"That is correct." She said as she went up to him and started to scan him. A hum was heard from her for the next minute or so, until she was done and gave a small series of beeps.

"Are you finished?" He asked.

"I am. It is truly remarkable, not as remarkable as Forerunner energy sources, but it is interesting." She said. He followed her down the ramp and then towards the right hallway. Near the very end was a small platform that could fit at least three people. Rings of light surrounded him and spun around several times before he felt his stomach lurch forward. He stumbled forward when the rings disappeared and the Monitor was in front of his face, prompting him to push her away.

"We are back at the main facility?" He asked.

"Yes. The more facilities you get underneath my control, the more choices you have in regards of travel." She answered. He nodded then followed her to the main atrium. It had been so many months since he's been here and it felt odd that he just traveled across the whole continent, only to be put back to another side in an instant. More humming was heard on her part while he just silently followed her. She droned on and on about when she got all the facilities underneath her control, how much data she could collect. He just listened silently and nodded when she turned to look at him. Both of them on their way to make him a new power core so he can keep his suit but also boost his signal.

He chose to ignore her when she claimed that he had made such a mess back at Mount Glenn. That she had sealed off the hole he created with artificial rubble while her sentinels scanned the area. Her voice was drowned out that he should've done something about the amount of bodies he left on the train, each one more viciously killed than the last. She didn't seem too mad though, they were getting close to the facility, too close for her taste. Like before, he ignored this and continued to follow her.

Mountain Glenn was part of his hunting grounds now.

* * *

**Hello, everyone. This is another chapter. I'll keep it short because I'm dead tired and I have an exam that I've been studying for now. **

**Alby199800: Here's another one.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: Can't say, it'll ruin the immersion.**

**Sm0keyPanda: Here you go, mate.**

**Dovahwolf13: Probably, probably not. Only time will tell.**

**SalinorTheDrake: Meh, maybe this is goodbye. Not now, but some other time in the future. It depends on my health really.**

**Lord Demolitions: Hopefully they will, if not them then Maaya will.**

**Naruto21: Probably not.**

**Marco Geddes: You're welcome.**

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**Guest: I'm horrible at dancing. Fishing where I live is considered illegal unless I have a permit, plus there aren't any good fishing spots where I live. Anyways, thanks for suggesting that.**

**Rookie059: I'll think about something like that.**

**Reader: I'm good, just tired is all. **

**VGBlackwing: Yeah, just proofread a little bit. I do enjoy your reviews though.**

**Josephi: That'd be funny.**

**Ozilla: While it did put him on the spot light, not in the way you're thinking. Although, I do like the way you think.**

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**Guest: Glad you do, here's something for you.**

**1142 EAT MY ASS: I've never heard of that song until now, thank you for expanding my horizon.**

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**Czechus: I don't mind posting, it's one of the good things about this. Posting for you guys. Don't worry about me.**

**InfernoKnightmare: I agree on your viewpoint on Six. Plus, I'm good.**

**Name In Progress: To be honest, I have never heard of that guy. I don't really go on DeviantArt that much as I used to, but after checking those things out, they're pretty good.**

**Guest: Read to find out.**

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**Name in Progress: Wow, I really didn't know that's what you meant. Sorry for the misunderstanding, I don't really have a say in your name choosing so I don't know. Long review, it's welcome and I enjoyed some things while reading it. I'll keep some of those things in consideration.**

**Thankfulclock: Thanks for the review. Also, I don't mind answering reviews. I do it because I like to acknowledge you guys for doing so and it's fun at times. Also, I'm fine. Just tired of some things.**

**negronomicon: I'll improve upon that. That's what you guys are enjoying so I'll improve upon it.**

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**darkromdemon: Indeed he is.**

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**Blaze1992: He's a stubborn old man.**

**OmegaDelta: She might.**

**Guest: Don't know.**

**Codex Pendragon: Indeed it would be. Although, if you want, there are some other stories like that. I think...**

**JohanNishigami: Dully noted.**

**So, yes. Reviews are answered and a chapter is posted. Yay. Anyways, I don't have much to say other than sorry if it isn't up to your standards and you guys know that I post whenever. Thanks for sticking with this, you guys. I don't have much to say other than I'm fine up here in my noggin so don't go worrying. I'll just... live around these things. Let's go though, I'm running on fumes at this point but can't do anything but keep on trucking. So uh, bye guys...**


	13. Chapter 13: Concrete Hunting Grounds

Six had taken his armor off and it was currently on top of a table. He ran through everything and was currently working alongside the Monitor to make him a new core. The process was long and agonizing, it was a very delicate process that could literally kill him if he wasn't careful, much to the Monitor's slight irritation. It took them a total of seven hours before the new core was set gently on the table while the other one sat idly nearby. She was going to dispose of it but he stopped her, a thought crossed his mind that if he were to be captured. He could use the unstable core to set off a chain reaction with his new one, destroying his armor and killing the offenders in the process. When he told her that, she merely stated several problems that could arise if he were to continue with this, he didn't care. All he requested was a container to carry it around in safely. She stared at him for several long seconds while he did the same before she disappeared for a few minutes with the old core.

Several minutes passed by and she returned with something trailing behind her. It was the size of a scroll and had a cylindrical shape to it, a dull hum would come out from it every so often whenever he rotated it. The object was dropped into his hand and he nodded at the Monitor before placing it inside of his bag. Silence seemed to bask over them while he carefully placed the new core inside of his armor then clean it. All she did was watch him clean his armor with precision while his face remained flat as ever, he didn't look at her until he was done. The only time he looked at her was when she brought up the fact that his signal was boosted, to which he would nod then turn back to his task at hand.

"Reclaimer, the next facility is within this continent. I hope you will get it up and running soon." She said. It may have seemed like she was pressing but in reality she was just eager. With the facilities underneath her control, she could finally go back to researching in the background like before, studying life itself without bothering anyone. She would be destroyed if she were to interfere with anything that didn't threaten the Instillation or the facilities. This overall meant she could not cause harm to the inhabitants of the Instillation unless they threatened the facilities.

"I will work on it." He said calmly as he finished cleaning his armor. She turned her chassis away as he changed into his armor and put the spare clothes inside of the bag, folding them up neatly to provide the same amount of room as before. Several minutes had passed and his armor was on with the exception of his helmet. His thumb brushed over the visor before flipping it over and placing his hands on the edges of it, putting it on his head and waiting for the systems to boot up. The familiar hum of his shields and his status was a welcoming sight. He ran several diagnostic checks before breathing in relief when he saw that everything was the same, better than before. It was so welcoming to see that his suit was back at full capacity. It truly was.

The only noise that seemed to meet his ears was the hum of the facility and its machinery, and the sound of him putting his supplies in his bag before closing it. As he was putting his cloak back on, he stopped when a Sentinel was hovering over him, it held a construct in its arm-like appendages. Nothing was said as he looked at the Monitor for an explanation and she nodded pleasantly.

"Consider this a gift from me. I did state that you would be rewarded for your efforts in getting facilities up and running." She said.

"You are rewarding me through boosting my signal. What is it?" He asked.

"This is the Z-750 Special Application Sniper Rifle, but many of the Forerunners simply called it the Binary Rifle." She informed with a pleasant beep. He stared at the Sentinel before taking the weapon out of its arms and watched it go back to its duties. Some parts of the rifle seemed to float in the air before they snapped into place with several mechanical noises. He watched it assemble in interest before rotating it in his hands, inspecting it carefully before aiming in. The one thing he noticed as a large orange beam when he aimed in, which in turn didn't suite him well. It gave away his position too easily and would present several problems.

"Is something the matter?" She asked.

"The orange beam, it would give away my position. Is there a way to remove it?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Unfortunately, no. Although there is a way for me to dim the beam considerably." She said.

"..." He nodded and waited for her to command a Sentinel to take the rifle away. She disappeared also for the next several minutes, all he did was inspect his weapons before placing them on his back, though that brought up another problem. The rifle itself was long and had some weight to it, he didn't know where he would place it. He couldn't place it on his back and he couldn't just carry it around all over the place. His thoughts began to run and he concentrated on what he could do about this predicament. It was a piece of interesting technology, and it would serve him well in regards of long range skirmishes, but he just needed to find a place to put it. Maybe he could ask the Monitor to disassemble it so he could place it in his back, he would have to organize his belonging around but that could be an easy fix.

Tens of minutes seemed to gone by before the Monitor returned, the Sentinel following her. He watched as it hovered towards him and held out the Binary Rifle, he gripped the weapon with both hands and inspected it again. When he aimed in, he noticed that the beam was still there and was about to turn towards the Monitor but she beat him to the punch.

"The beam is still visible but one would need to strain their eyes to see it. It is not glaring like before, I have done what I am able to do for it." She said.

"... It is fine." He nodded then started to think. While the weight was light in his hands, it still begged the question of where he would put it. He fell silent for the next several minutes as he thought about this. He stared at the Monitor for the next several minutes, just thinking. She grew very uncomfortable at his never ending gaze. There were times she wished she wasn't programmed to feel uncomfortable, at least she could handle his staring.

"Sometimes I wished I wasn't programmed to feel uncomfortable. Stop staring!" She shouted at him.

"I do not have a place to put this weapon." He said.

"An easy fix! Press the button near the firing mechanism." She said. He looked at her then did as he was instructed before watching as the Binary Rifle seemed to suddenly disassemble and float in the air. The pieces spun around several times before they started to split into five separate smaller fragments then start to snap into place quickly. They were cylindrical in shape and about the size of his forearms while the final one was about the size of his entire right arm. Two of constructs snapped around his both of his forearms, two snapped around his thighs, and the final one snapped directly between his two weapons on his back. This barely deterred his movement at all, for the size of the sniper, it was rather light in his hands.

"Ammunition?" He looked at her.

"Ionized particles." She informed.

"Weight, length, and width?" He asked.

"The weight is 16.1 kilograms, the length is 190.5 centimeters, and the width is 12.6 centimeters." She informed.

"Is there any extra ammunition I can carry on me?" He asked. She nodded her chassis and a Sentinel soon came out with a cube full of ammunition for the weapon. He took it from the construct and watched it leave before placing the cube into his bag then closing it.

"If I may ask, why have you asked for so much?" She asked.

"I do not know when I will get the facility up, this is just a necessary precaution." He answered curtly.

"I see, so you have assumed that only I can make the ammunition for you." She said.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Precisely." She beamed brightly.

"..." He looked at her before grabbing his cloak, throwing it around himself and putting on his hood, his bag was thrown over his shoulder shortly after. As he began to walk towards the exit, he noticed that she seemed to zoom around before stopping in front of him.

"Reclaimer..." She trailed off.

"...What is it?" He asked.

"While I am not allowed to directly interfere, there is a matter that you should look into." She said.

"..." He didn't say anything, which prompted her to continue.

"There is a large Grimm that lies dormant underneath the mountaintop near Mount Glenn. Judging by your character, I assume you intend to destroy the life form before it becomes a problem." She assumed.

"..." He nodded at the alarming news. This was a problem, had she told him earlier then he would have cut his trip to the city and handled this creature.

"I have taken the liberty to study this creature and theorized that it shall remain dormant until mass panic in effect. It has lied dormant for countless years and is not intending to awaken anytime soon." She informed him.

"... I will handle this." He said, walking towards the grid. She quickly went in front of him and stopped him while he just stared at her.

"I know you will, but while you are doing your tasks, I will create a set of explosives to eliminate the creature." She said.

"I assumed you would like to have study it?" He gestured.

"I have studied it in the past, when it roamed free. I have seen that it creates more Grimm in its wake and this in turn threatens the facility. The Grimm are an infection in my viewpoint, but it is one that I cannot completely purge like the Flood." She said.

"... When will you have these explosives ready?" He asked.

"Soon, but I will wait for you to finish your task first. This is a very delicate process, one that is extremely volatile if not handled correctly." She informed.

"... I see." He said quietly then left. She watched him go towards the teleportation grid and watched him leave towards the other facility. It wasn't in her parameters to directly interfere with the status of the Instillation. Technically, she shouldn't have even told him but she viewed the Grimm as an infestation, one that could not be purged completely unfortunately.

"..." She spun around before going back to her task at hand, crafting the explosives in order to get rid of this Grimm. To her, this certain type was nothing short of a Flood spore, that gave her all the reason to finally cut her research short.

* * *

Six had caught a transport to the city during the night. It wasn't anything special, just a convoy truck that could hold his weight. The ride there was only about two hours but it beat walking inside and having to get checked by the inhabitants of the city. One of the drivers from a nearby settlement had offered him a ride, saying it was the least he could do for coming to the settlement at times. Once the truck was finished with the inspection, Six jumped from the back and hit his fist against the side in appreciation for the ride. He watched the truck head down towards the street and turn a corner eventually, finally disappearing from his sight.

He didn't waste any time before he took off towards a dark alley. He climbed the side of a building quickly by latching onto the edges of windows, quick enough to where the people inside barely saw him, then eventually went to the top and crouched near the edge of a tall building. His eyes had scanned the city carefully as his thoughts began to mull over. Realistically, he had no starting point to where he should even began to look. Although, the deceased Lieutenant had stated that he should start looking towards the more poor districts, specifically one where poor faunus would reside. It wasn't much but it was something.

He jumped across gaps of tall buildings that were able to be crossed easily, only reconsidering when he knew he couldn't make it. He did this for around an hour before he stopped and looked over a building, throwing his body over and hanging onto the edge before slowly going down. He gripped onto anything that could support his weight before his boots hit the ground. Dirty water splashed when he finally impacted the ground and he looked around to see himself in a dark alley, he spotted a trashcan that was on fire, surrounded by homeless people. He walked up to them and ignored their startled cries when he approached them.

"Do you know where the the industrial district is? Specifically the poorer areas?" He asked.

"We know, but it'll cost ya." One of them said. He stared at them for several seconds, which in turn made them uncomfortable, it was like something was challenging his dominance. Before they could actually say anything, he produced a few cans of food and set it near them, six in total. They went to go greedily grab them but he suddenly stopped them and stared down at them, making them shiver. He actually had no intentions of harming them unless they proved to be hostile, but he wasn't going to let them walk over him.

"You will receive the food when you give me information." He said evenly.

"Fine..." One of them sighed. They began to tell him about the areas he requested, some of which was unknown to some people. The next thing they told him was different routes that proved to be the fastest way and some that proved to be a more secretive way, many required him to head into the sewer system. He nodded at each thing they said then stepped back and watched them grab the cans quickly. It wasn't that big of a deal for him to give them food, he had enough lien to buy more and this proved to be more beneficial in his eyes. These people were barely scraping by, and while they would have liked for him to give them lien, food was their best option.

"Say... you seem awfully familiar." One of them pointed out.

"..." He didn't say anything and just stared at them.

"My cousin's from beyond the walls. She says there's someone like you, helping folks out here and there. Said that if we were never to attack you or sell you out then you were pretty much good fortune." They said.

"..." He still didn't say anything, all he did was continue to stare as the person in front of him rambled on.

"If anything, good on you. Us lot were getting hungry and it beats begging for scraps. Say, cut you a deal, if you give us at least some medicine from the store a little ways away, we'll give you some good info." The person reasoned. He stared at the five people in front of him, noticing that they were poor to the point where an illness could take their life. Giving medicine wasn't troublesome, he rarely got sick and he often used it for people, food was stretching it though. He needed to be careful with how he spent his lien, but information about the city was necessary.

"Jeez, you sure are a quiet one." One of the older ones mumbled. Nothing was said as he just bent down and reached in his bag. As much as they wanted to look inside, they knew he would just close his bag before they actually got a chance to look. They watched him fish inside before producing a couple of bottles of liquid then setting them down on the ground below. Six knew how expensive medicine was and he didn't have a problem with giving what medicine he had away, so long as it was used correctly.

"This medicine may not be as good as the ones in the stores, but it will heal your illness." He said evenly. They listened as he instructed them of the effects each medicine and that it was potent enough to heal an illness within a day or two. While they were expecting him to get them store brand medicine, this was a much better deal. Medicine from the frontier is rumored to be better for those who don't have an aura and those who do. People who live in the frontier and study the field of medicine are considered gems in the city.

"Well, this is unexpected..." One of them mumbled.

"Will this suffice?" Six asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! It will. More than that actually..." The man blinked in surprise. He had heard rumors from his cousin out in the frontier, but he merely dismissed as nothing. Seeing that those rumors of the man was true made him second guess everything... which meant that the legend within the frontier was real.

"Then I require the information." Six said evenly. The people in front of him blinked, to them his voice was cold, it seemed to put them at a state of unease. Deep down though, they knew he didn't mean any harm, he just wanted them to give him information. Granted, he could kill them if they attacked him but he wouldn't go out of his way to cause unnecessary harm to them if they didn't give him information, he'd just leave and not come back.

The next forty minutes to an hour was spent telling him all that they knew; routes, alleyways, people, directions, areas of interest, and other things that he would find useful. He nodded at each thing they said, indicating that he was still listening, then bid them farewell. They promised him that if he were to stop by with more food or medicine then they'd have some more information at the ready since they went scavenging often.

Word often spreads fast within the homeless, much faster than the rate of the untamed frontier.

* * *

He only operated at night, during the day he would keep himself hidden within the dark alleys or underpasses. While he had only been here for a week, much of the homeless in the area often knew of him. The only thing that kept him from giving them food was when he needed it or wanted information, other than that they would ask if he had extra. For the most part, they left him alone and didn't ask where he went when he disappeared. A majority of them felt a state of ease when he was in the area, they just had to get past his silent and cold demeanor first. His presence alone kept most thugs away. Most quickly found out that he wasn't one for physical contact and often went defensive when someone tried to get close to him. His tattered cloak helped him fit in with the homeless and no one often looked twice.

Whenever he left for the next area, many would give him cheerful goodbyes and wish him the best of luck. This unnerved him for some reason, despite him being on this planet for years and receiving positive attention, he still wasn't used to it. He never would be. His wall of distrust was suddenly thrown up again and reinforced while his focus was completely on the White Fang. They were starting to slowly realize that he was here, each and every complex he left would result in bodies piling up. On his second day of being in the city, he found a complex of White Fang and swiftly killed them, leaving a total of twelve bodies scattered around. He always left the highest ranking one alive before killing them shortly after. They were terrified of him, scared that he was in the city now, hunting them.

He didn't care. No amount of pleading would deter him from finally eradicating this branch of them.

Another factor that he didn't enjoy was Atlas military was rumored to be arriving soon. Whatever reason, he didn't care, all he cared about was getting rid of the Fang then leaving shortly after. His prey was the White Fang, not individuals from Atlas. If they got in his way then he'd show no mercy, he never has and he never will. His patterns of attack were just any White Fang that was caught on his radar, they were calculated, yet wild at the same time. It wasn't long before he made the news. In total, he had managed to take out three White Fang complexes and left a total of forty bodies scattered around. He would continue to do so, the only thing that slowed him down was the military and police, occasionally a huntsman or huntress.

It was his second week of being here and he had managed to find out about another complex. He was on top of a building, aiming in with his DMR. Despite the White Fang now knowing he was here in the city, they still chose to carry out their operations. It would've made any Insurrectionists shake their head in shame about the stupidity of such actions. At least with the Insurrection, they had at least a vague idea on how to be secretive when they wanted to be, and know when to strike. It made them unpredictable at times, and that made them dangerous. The White Fang seemed to just want to cause unnecessary damage, without rhyme or reason. He had heard from some of the homeless how they lost some loved ones since some of the Fang had chose their resting spots and bomb locations and killings.

Not all of the homeless were pleasant to be around, and some were dangerous due to their circumstances, but that didn't justify for using their resting spots as an example. They were civilians in his eyes, and that gave Six all the more reason to finally eradicate the White Fang in Vale. Who knows where their next target location would be and he really didn't want to think of the damage they could cause if he was reckless.

A warehouse in the industrial district had tight guard patrol, presumably because of him. They checked everyone thoroughly and he simply observed them from afar, thinking about the best possible entrance he could enter through. The front had too many guards and they would scatter as soon as the doors closed, he wanted to seal them off to make sure none of them escaped. Both of the side doors had three or more guards, so chances of one of them creating a noise was high, plus there were two that he had to deal with, which meant he needed to act fast. The back though... that had a somewhat more manageable amount, with a lax two guards. His attention was brought to the eye scanner in the back, only letting individuals of the White Fang in.

He waited and observed until it was around midnight before choosing to strike. As soon as the time was right, he jumped off the side of the building. A spiderweb of cracks appeared on the ground and some of the White Fang went to go investigate the noise, but he was already gone. It barely took any time before he was at the back of the building, observing as the two guards tensed up at the slightest sound. He equipped his knife and threw it forward, striking the one on the right in his throat. The one on the left was about to cry out but Six rushed up to him and slammed his entire arm in his mouth. His hand came out from the back of the skull and the terrorist's eyes rolled to the back of his head.

A wet, horrifying ripping noise was heard as Six gripped the man's chest and wretched his hand free, flicking off any blood from his hand. He looked at the guard suffocating with the knife in his throat before gripping the man's head and his knife. He then pulled both in opposite directions and listened to the cracking of bone and the tearing of flesh as he tore the head from its shoulders. Blood leaked profusely from the mutilated neck and he held it up to his eye level before prying one of the eye lids open some more and holding it up to the scanner.

The light glared brightly against the eyes of the mutilated head and a beep was heard, soon after the unlocking of the door. He simply dropped the head behind him and headed inside, closing the door shortly after. The area was a lot darker than what he had actually anticipated but it mattered not to him, he could see just fine without his night vision and he saw that it was a gathering of White Fang. From what he counted, there were twenty individuals at ground level, four on the catwalk, and one on the podium. That's not to mention the five at the front entrance and the six on the sides.

"..." He observed the White Fang from his spot of cover, listening to the one on the podium preach about coming together. How a demon was in the city now and they needed to be strong. The closer he looked, the more fear he saw in the man. There needed to be a way for him to take out a majority quickly, he didn't have any explosives. Maybe... maybe he didn't need explosives. He still had fire and ice Dust. If he were to combine those then he'd be able to create a large screen of steam that could conceal him and then he could strike. He fished in his bag and brought out two vials of Dust then rushed towards the middle, ignoring the startled cries of the White Fang before he slammed both of the vials on the ground. As expected, they burst open and a reaction was caused. Steam flooded complex and everyone's sight was clouded.

He equipped his DMR and fired to his left on the catwalk. Two bodies landed on the metal surface and the catwalk vibrated before he fired two more to his right, killing the other two.

Thirty-two remained.

His DMR was swapped out for his shotgun and he fired into the closest one, throwing the body into a group before turning his sights to the next one. A hole was ripped in their torso and splattered the ground with blood. The sound of a shell impacting the ground made him turn around and fire two more into a pair of White Fang. Only twenty-eight remained at this point. The steam was still strong but it was clear that it would start to disappear soon. He fired two more times and killed two more before gripping the nearest one and holding them hostage, using their gun to kill another terrorist. He suddenly swung around and used the hostage to block oncoming fire, the woman screamed as rounds created holes in her body before going limp. The body was thrown at the group and he disappeared into the steam.

Twenty-four.

His knife was brought out and he ran by two terrorists, slashing their throats and disappearing once again. Each terrorist collected their wits and aimed their weapons forward and would fire whenever they thought they saw him. He dashed through a group and killed another one with a throat slash before disappearing once again. A group of three were suddenly dragged further into the fog. Their bodies hitting the ground made the others jump in alarm. Each time he killed one, their fear would grow and throw them into a more frenzied state. This in turn made them make rash decisions that would have otherwise guaranteed their survival.

Eighteen left.

By this time, the remaining ones that were outside suddenly rushed inside to come across a foggy complex. They remained outside the steam and aimed their weapons in the area, hearing bodies dropping suddenly. There were screams and they saw one of their comrades suddenly rush out with horror stricken on their face before a hand gripped their collar and dragged them back inside. They wanted to rush in, truly they did but this would do nothing but guarantee their deaths. Pretty soon, everything went quiet and the steam started to disappear, it all happened so fast that they didn't know what had actually happened. All they heard was gunfire, screaming, and then finally silence.

When the fog finally disappeared they were greeted with a massacre. Everyone was dead with the exception of them and the speaker, who was holding his bleeding leg. Only eleven remained still standing and their hearts pounded in their chests. Fear was the only thing clouding their minds and they twitched at the slightest noise or aimed their weapons when something moved in the shadows. The rancid smell of blood and bodily fluids met their noses and the sight of gore made a few of them turn around to vomit. It was horrible, this was meant to be nothing but a simple meeting about the demon that scared them.

Six watched from above, watching as their fear drove them to split apart into groups. While they walked towards the middle, he merely observed them from above before leaping down onto one of them. It seemed they heard him but couldn't move out of the way fast enough. Bones snapped violently and muscles tore as he crushed them underneath his boots. He broke his fall by rolling, crushing their body even more, before lunging at the next one. His left hand gripped their weapon and aimed it up as it went off before he caved their throat in with a punch. They gagged violently but he didn't care, all he did was pick them up by their collar and use them as a meat shield when weapons were fired at him. He threw the body at one of them quickly and rushed up to them, slamming his fist against the side of their head and caving it in.

His shields flared up when they fired at him and he equipped his shotgun, firing three times and killing three of them. Holes ripped in their bodies and splattered blood and organs onto the ground below. He fired one last time before he had to reload but merely blocked a swing with his gun, slamming the stock against the face of the attacker and breaking their neck. Only four remained at this point.

They shook in their boots and hesitated before dropping their weapons and running. All he did was fire his DMR into their skulls as they ran out the front entrance. The last one's body dropped quite a distance away and lied still on the pavement below, leaking blood from the wound. This merely took all but a few minutes, but it was still too long in his opinion. He had to use his ammo wisely, it wasn't like he could just go and get more from a nearby settlement. This wasn't his usual hunting grounds so his supplies needed to be conserved as much as possible. He went around and started to take the lien off of the dead bodies before a noise picked up to his right.

On the stage was the final one alive. The man groaned painfully as he tried to drag himself away from the massacre. He heard Six start to approach him and tried to crawl away faster, only to gasp in pain when a hand gripped his injured leg in an iron grip. Six then threw the man to the center of carnage, ignoring the man as he raised his hand in a pleading manner.

"Where and when will the next White Fang meeting take place?" Six asked calmly.

"N-Never. I'll never fucking tell you, you damn demon!" The terrorist shouted fearfully.

"..." Six said nothing and stepped on the bleeding leg of the man. A horrible scream echoed throughout the warehouse and sobs were heard as the man thrashed around in pain. His screaming turned into painful gasps as Six started to twist his leg and apply more pressure. He needed to get out of here before the authorities or the military arrived, but he needed information first.

"P-Please!" The man raised his hand.

"Where and when?" Six asked in the same tone. A sickening pop was heard as he stepped on the knee of the man and snapped it like a twig. More screaming met his ears, but he didn't care. He wanted information and he would get what he wanted in the end.

"Fine! T-There's a shipment near the docks that we planned to hit! It holds Atlas supplies that we needed for our cause! Supposedly the shipment arrives in two days at nine at night." The man cried out. Six took his foot off the leg and saw the bone sticking out, sirens were heard in the distance and he perked up when his hearing picked it up. He wanted more information, he needed more but he wouldn't risk getting caught, not when he was sure that the Fang were making mistakes.

"..." He looked down at the crying man that was nursing his broken leg and walked up to his head. His foot raised up and he watched the man's eyes widen in horror when he realized what was going to happen.

"NO-" He didn't get to finish his scream before Six's foot came crashing down onto his skull. The head caved in and his eyes bulged out of their sockets before Six lifted his foot again and slammed it back down onto the broken mess of a head. Blood shot out and splattered onto the ground and his boots before he stepped back. The sirens were getting closer and he quickly left out the back door, leaving a trail from his bloody boots before it shorty stopped afterwords. He had managed to wash the blood off with some dirty water before it could lead too far.

A couple more minutes passed by and the authorities came into the warehouse. Several of them had to leave shortly after arriving with terror stricken onto their faces. A couple of them had vomited when they saw the carnage and smelled the stench. Blood and body fluids masked the dusty smell of the warehouse and the sight of so many bodies were seared into their minds. This was a nightmare, nothing could convince them otherwise. So many bodies, killed in such horrible ways that it was nothing short of something that would be seen in a horror film.

Countless bodies; shot, necks broken at unsightly angles, bones protruding out of them, throats slashed, one had their head ripped from their shoulders, bludgeoned, holes torn into them, etc.

To make matters worse, this was weeks before the Vytal Festival. Something that was supposed to bring peace and spread positive emotions throughout Remnant, so why were they dealing with a monster all of a sudden?

* * *

Headmaster Ozpin was what one considered mysterious. Both with his words and his mannerisms, he also held a certain aura about him that would calm anybody. Patience was what he was known for with a lot of people and he wished for nothing but the best for humanity. The recent news seemed to make him frown though, along with several others. The recent murder reports he had been receiving in regards to the White Fang. Bodies were beginning to stack as of now, much more than what he would have liked to see. Murder in the city was to be expected, the world was a cruel place after all, but to see so many in such a short span rose several concerns. Almost a hundred bodies at this point and the list would continue to grow.

He knew who it was. The only person to decline him and tell him off, the mysterious wanderer of the frontier. Others saw his fascination with the man as an obsession, and there were times he would admit but he couldn't help it. He wanted the man to have a partnership with Beacon. Whenever he had sent contacts within the outer settlements, and even in some of the inner ones, everyone went quiet. Sometimes the people in the settlements started to turn hostile towards his company, there was one where they couldn't go back to after several of the townsfolk attacked. Most claimed that the man they were looking for didn't hold any interest in him nor Beacon. He had sent Summer, seeing how she was saved by the man, but she came back empty handed.

Some things were done that he wasn't proud of to flush the man out, but the trail always ended up cold. If the man was in the city then he would have a greater chance of finding him. Maybe certain deals could be cut if he was willing enough. From what he had heard from Oobleck, the man had killed an entire train full of White Fang. From what the doctor had said, each victim had a look of horror on their faces, almost as if they had seen the devil. The girls that were with him came back traumatized, especially Ruby Rose. It appeared that they had received a front row seat to the massacre down in the tunnels.

A ping on his screen made him look to see a series of pictures taken. They were of the first White Fang hideout that had been hit. Bodies with similar wounds but this time they were strung up by their feet. An entire complex of terrorists, dead, not a single survivor. He had pulled up an older file to show that a similar incident had transpired a couple of years ago, which meant the man had been to the city before.

The White Fang were a problem, especially since they turned violent, but it was clear they feared something. They kept referring to a figure that stalked the woods outside the walls. A figure that always meant death whenever he was in the area. A hooded figure that was nothing short of the Grim Reaper himself. From past interviews of White Fang that had defected; the figure never spoke, never reasoned with them nor cared. This figure was the reason they were limited to the city, in fear of it. Ozpin had seen many things in life, but he saw absolute terror in the man's eyes. Nothing but pure fear, the mere mention of the man seemed to throw the former terrorist into a frenzied state.

"Seventy-six bodies." Glynda said.

"Yes, while there has been more-" He started.

"That's in the span of months or a year. Sir, this is in the span of two weeks." She interrupted.

"..." He went quiet for a minute.

"If he is in the city, then we need to do something about this." She said.

"We are." He said.

"What exactly? He's dangerous and unpredictable. Something needs to be done now." She said.

"If we push now then we'll just force him back into the wild, even more now that ever." He said.

"Sir, he's causing negative emotions to rise. The police force is currently looking to us to assist them and the council is breathing down our necks." She said.

"Let them, they do not realize the weight of this situation." He said.

"Then what? With the festival so close and James arriving soon, there's bound to be higher stress levels. We need to do something now." She said.

"We keep the pressure on him. Send huntsmen and huntresses on patrols, give the the necessary information, then report it to me. In time, if he is still active, then we will have James assist us." He answered.

"You know that will go wrong. He is still angry at the man for sending so many to the grave, he will want him either executed or in prison more than anything." She said.

"That is to be expected. James isn't one to let things go so easily." He hummed.

"Ozpin, the man has sent hundreds to their graves. He's dangerous and isn't someone to be taken lightly." She reasoned.

"I am aware." He nodded.

"So why are we going after him? Every person we've sent, he's either killed or crippled. The only people that haven't been harmed is Summer and team JNPR." She said.

"From what I've gathered, Ms. Valkyrie and Mr. Ren traveled with him. They look up to him and it's clear he wouldn't do anything to harm them." He quipped.

"And it's clear they aren't willing to give him up." She argued. There was nothing that could change her mind about the man, he was too dangerous to be left around people. She wouldn't go out of her way to actively seek him out, but it was clear she didn't trust him and wanted to stay away from him. She had known the pair of students for some time and had managed to get used to their antics. Only one time, one time was all it took for Ozpin to speak of the man in an ill manner before she had to actively restrain Nora. It was clear that the girl looked up to the man and speaking ill of him set her off. Whenever someone brought up the man, the situation could go both ways, either extremely well or extremely bad.

To Glynda, the man was nothing short of an unstoppable killer. To the pair of teenagers, he was their surrogate father. Although he had not been in their lives for years, it was clear his teachings shaped them. As much as the teacher didn't want to admit it, the two of them excelled at surviving in the frontier which was their highest grade. Setting Nora Valkyrie off proved to be an individuals worst mistake, especially when Ren was agreeing with her. Both teenagers are a force to be reckoned with and she feared to see what would happen if they were to suddenly side with the man.

She had been out in the frontier and seen what it is like, most settlements viewed him as a noble person. Some would describe to her that he would do some bounties then leave shortly after, never asking for anything outside of the essentials. Apparently, he never talked that much and usually let his actions judge his character. Whenever she asked if there was a way to track him to his next stop, she was usually either met with silence or a sharp denial. Seven settlements actively denied her of any information whenever she told them her reason for looking for him. Of those seven, three of them showed absolute hostility towards her, claiming if she were to show her face again then they'd kill her.

"No trouble, I have ways of dealing with such situations." He said.

"Sir, you know how the two of them get whenever this man is involved. They even stated their reasons for pursuing this profession." She said.

"I'm aware they get defensive about him. Which is why I sent them to that settlement." He nodded.

"... You never answered my question as to why we're pursuing him. It's clear he isn't going to join us." She asked, finally getting fed up with his vague answers.

"He may be the key to finally defeating Salem." He said after some time.

"... There are other ways to defeat her. This is just your obsession talking." She rolled her eyes. He was about to open his mouth to retort but she was already in the elevator and heading down. Things needed to be done and she wasn't about to stress herself out even more dealing with her superior.

Why was she the one who truly saw how dangerous this silent man was?

* * *

**Hello, guys. I am back with yet another chapter of this story. To be honest, I'm kind of out of words to say other than thank you. Everything's fucked up, I mean that literally. First I get kicked out of my dorm because my roommate just decided to leave without telling me, which meant I had to haul my shit up a flight of stairs by myself. Then I barely stayed a day in my new room before I was kicked out again due to this virus, and now my college is shut down, which means I have to take my classes online. Another thing is that I can't go to the fucking store because there's nothing to buy, I mean that literally. Everything is gone from the store near me; toilet paper, paper towels, milk, bread, everything. Worst part about it is, I need those fucking things. Enough about that, let's get into the reviews.**

**Alby199800: Meh, that's just how I am. Won't say anything about the plot so I don't spoil anything.**

**Valerious Lake: I'll work on it.**

**Reader: Yes, another update. I'm doing okay, just tired of everything is all. Also thanks for the review.**

**Guest: Probably not.**

**1142 EAT MY ASS: I heard about that game but I never knew the song, thanks for that.**

**semsas: I'm sorry you feel that way.**

**Hamilton406: I tried with this chapter, if it doesn't work out then I won't continue with these little tid bits. This is just a mere experimentation.**

**Minxiboo: Thanks and I will.**

**Haxorus knight: Probably.**

**InfernoKnightmare: He is indeed. About the Mount Glenn topic, I wouldn't either.**

**Name In Progress: The word amount is fine as it is, I enjoy reading that length at times. I've seen that video you're talking about, it's possibly one of my favorite videos to look at on occasions. I don't know how I'll handle Adam Taurus, I'm not too good at fight scenes but I'll try. Also, your name, you could try combining the two but I don't know how that'll work out, so I don't know.**

**UndeadLord22: He has, one of my personal favorites.**

**Josephi: Thank you. It's becoming harder at times due to this whole situation but I still manage.**

**Shen69: Thank you, I'll try to keep up the uniqueness.**

**Dead344156: Here you go, mate.**

**Lord Demolitions: It might possibly happen. Maybe, maybe not.**

**Sm0keyPanda: Indeed. And here's the next chapter.**

**Malgrath: I'm alright, just a little tired is all. Been dealing with things like this for a while so a little longer isn't going to hurt that much.**

**VGBlackwing: Indeed, maybe he'll give them a life lesson.**

**OmegaDelta: The matter regarding Noble Team, I think I'll keep them gone. I don't want to add any characters that'll disrupt the flow of the story that much. Plus, if I add too many then I'll need to find a way to add them without messing anything up, which is a hassle by itself.**

**Gamerman22: Yeah, decided to add the Binary since it's my favorite.**

**CrimsonSylvan: That's a possibility the bull will be pissed.**

**dekuton: Just means I'm keeping your attention. Not at the edge of your seat but at least your attention to keep you entertained.**

**darkromdemon: That is true, Six'll never change his ways.**

**PhoenixGuy: Yes.**

**Blanchimont: Through other means. Thanks for the concern, but I'm alright. Just a little tired is all.**

**captaindickscratcher: Forerunner might do it. You're right about Six too.**

**Marco Geddes: You're welcome.**

**BanzEye: Thanks. I do at least try to keep the grammar mistakes to a minimum, as well as the gore. I mean, I can be extremely descriptive with it, but I'd rather not go too into detail. Yeah, the story is rated M, but I don't want to make it so explicit that it'll make people queasy, I've actually gotten a PM about that unfortunately.**

**SuperSaiyanjin4Vegeta: I mean, I'd rather remain polite and respectful towards my audience than get angry at them. Sure, if one were to write a nasty comment I'd get mad when I first read it, but I'm not gonna stress over it that much. Plus, you were respectful with your review and pointed out a flaw. If you're respectful towards me and word it properly then I'll just push down my discomfort and improve on the mistake you pointed out. I feel like a lot of authors should take into consideration that the audience is trying to help improve the story. While yes, the audience should let the author decide on how the story flows, they should also point out flaws in a civilized manner to help improve the content. Also, thanks for the review.**

**THE 2019 BOYS: That's a possibility that all those reincarnations has. Also for the people protecting Atlas, I'd say it's a combination of knights and actual people, it's certainly something I'd like to experiment with when the story gets that far.**

**Blaze1992: I mean, this certainly is a missed opportunity for everyone to meet Six, but I'll try to think of something down the road.**

**M3KHAN3: That's what people are requesting about the point of view. It's something I want to try to do and see how it goes, but I'm afraid I'll butcher it. Plus, I'm fine, just got to give a smile and face my problems like I always have.**

**Guest: Thanks, mate.**

**Guest: Usually as a reward. Most of the time he doesn't actually request it but he'll use it for trading or give it to a settlement to give them something to make money off of.**

**Czechus: I don't know why people are saying that about Cinder either, but I do enjoy reading what they have to say about it. You're not missing anything so don't worry. From what I understand, they don't necessarily have night vision but they do have an enhanced sense of vision in lower light environments. Although, Six was in complete black so he couldn't see a foot in front of him, which is why he used his flashlight. I may be wrong though, it's kind of hard to get into debates with people because it always ends up as a shouting match. Sorry if that confused you.**

**The Lone Swordswolf: I like that, I like that review a lot.**

**HUGHIE CAMPBELL: I don't know. Rookie is one of those characters I enjoyed playing a lot when I played ODST so I considered it in the past. Though, if I do then I'd at least want to finish my first four stories first before I move onto the next one. Also, I love those two songs, especially "The Politics &The Life" which is one of my favorites.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: I do too.**

**Hyjaxx: I mean, I wouldn't say I'm not humanizing him, because in some aspects I am... but not to the extent of him telling everyone everything. In this, or at least my version of Six, he's extremely closed off. After everything he's been through, he's grown so used to being labeled a freak and attacked that he's automatically put on the defensive. Countless battles have jaded him beyond recognition and he's grown so used to it that it's basically become a second skin to him. Plus, he's a Spartan so conditioning and experience is what gives him an edge in his battles.**

**The Baz: There are, so he has access to them. He just can't carry all of them at once. To be honest, I'm slightly pushing it when it comes to three weapons.**

**CT-5555: I don't know about the first two, the third one is interesting, but the first two I will have to regretfully decline. I apologize if that upsets you. Also, thanks for the review.**

**YungTurd: Don't worry, it was just ideas.**

**FRENCHIE: Wow, that's a lot but thanks for that. They did get a front row seat to his massacre so it was traumatizing to them. Also that last bit is quite funny, at least to me.**

**Thankfulclock50: Yeah, doing alright. Yep. Mount Glenn is part of his hunting grounds seeing how the facility is near it.**

**Atryx10: Alright, I'll try to keep your attention if possible.**

**scottusa1: Thanks, mate. Laters.**

**Elmoslayer569: Here it is.**

**Yakiitori: Thanks, it was hard for me to create something that fit in with RWBY and had a Halo twist to it.**

**Guest: It will, until it is done.**

**Zannaria: You're welcome. I figured I'd do something a little different.**

**Ssj998: We'll see more of them, I want to expand upon their characters.**

**ODSTFRymann: I did try with it and thanks for the review.**

**HerrDunkelheit: Indeed.**

**MOTHER'S MILK: He might, who knows. As far as joining Beacon, negative. It does and Six knows this, which is why he utilizes it to its fullest extent while Remnant is still stuck with their Dust. I don't really know if they'll have an energy crisis, it's a possibility that they could in the future.**

**lowrex: Here is some more.**

**Akin2018: That would be cool.**

**A lot of reviews, but I'm not complaining. Gives me something to think about other than my life problems that are currently causing my stress levels to skyrocket but meh. Anyways, thanks for reviewing and I'm sorry that I couldn't answer some of the reviews to an extent that some would like, but I'm tired you guys. It's more along the lines of mental fatigue more than anything. This month was supposed to be the month that got me back in the groove but it ended up driving me further into the hole I dug myself. Releasing this chapter along with another one I'm almost done writing is at least a good release of stress.**

**Anyways, thanks for reading and I'll see you later.**


	14. Chapter 14: A City Hunter

Another week passed by. Another complex he had walked out of, leaving a dozen bodies strung up by their feet. The intimidation method proved to be working in his odds. More White Fang were either disbanding and shouting valuable information, or getting more reckless. The disbanded ones, he knew they were being arrested and charged, giving up their life of terrorism in hopes it would keep him away. Fear and paranoia were the two things that clouded their minds. As much as he would have liked to kill them in their cells, he couldn't do so without getting attention, thus he let them live in fear. They must have figured it was better to live a life of fear and misery than ending up dead. The ones that stayed though, they were fair game.

His hunt wasn't finished yet, and he wouldn't stop until they were completely eradicated from Vale. The more complexes he hit, the more information he gathered when the final one would plead for their lives. From that point on, he started to erode the chain of command viciously. Anything to strike fear into them and force them to make foolish mistakes, it was working too. Each body he left behind; shot, broken, strung up, even burned to an extent, seemed to be doing its job. That wasn't the only thing he did though, he started to raid their complexes of valuable resources and give them to the less fortunate.

The homeless proved to be quite knowledgeable of the areas and they were forever in his gratitude. Each area gave him information about news of what they've been hearing on the streets. They also shielded and lied about him whenever a huntsman or huntress asked about him. To them, he was practically their hero. Despite denying that he was, they viewed him as such in their eyes and nothing would change that. The authorities viewed him as something else... more along the lines of a vicious killer. He didn't care what they had to think. Sure, he was causing negativity levels to rise with these recent killings, but who knows how bad it would've been had that train breached the wall. To him, this was nothing short of necessary actions. The White Fang was a terrorist organization, if the authorities wouldn't do anything, then he would.

It seemed Atlas would be arriving soon, which meant he needed to speed this process up. While he was speeding it up, this didn't mean he could afford to get sloppy with his work. The last thing he wanted was to reveal himself to the military and compromise himself before his hunt was over. Overall, the city was considered a blessing that too many people didn't appreciate enough. With enough perimeter defense and decent management, this could be considered a safe haven for all. The settlements outside the city had to live in constant paranoia, either because of a bandit attack or Grimm. Out there were his main hunting grounds, the people out there knew the struggles and managed to survive somehow. Not to mention, some had a stable system and were completely independent from the city's system.

Days and nights passed by slowly, much slower than what he wanted. He had found another complex and observed it from his perch on a tall building. The edges of his cloak flowed gently in the night sky as he crouched down near the edge of the building. The White Fang that entered the area kept looking around, jumping at every sound they heard in the distance. It seemed their paranoia was getting the better of them, he shook his head a bit and continued to observe them. Getting information about this place was easy. The last victim he interrogated barely even lasted a broken wrist before spilling. They tried to stab Six in his helmet, only to fail. His retaliation was to take their own knife and disembowel them, leaving them to die in pool of blood and entrails.

Just as he was about to head down and eliminate more White Fang then interrogate the highest ranking one, sirens echoed out. He looked down the street to see patrol cars speed towards the location of the White Fang before stopping around the complex. Heavily assault vehicles swerved near the patrol cars before specialized units poured out. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he watched them storm the complex. Gunfire was heard from inside and he just watched from a distance. He was far enough away to where they had to strain to see him but he could still make a shot. This night had turned out worse than some of the others, since his hunt was interrupted, but that was fine. There were other complexes to eradicate.

He pulled out the Binary Rifle and watched it assemble in his hands with interest. Once it was done, he took his aim and patiently waited for the next several minutes. It seemed they were content with making arrests, yet didn't have the necessary willpower to make the kill. As the arrested White Fang were being dragged out, he spotted his target. An older man, looked to be in his late forties with massive moose antlers. As soon as the shot lined up, Six fired the rifle with an ethereal sound that was pleasing to hear. A second later, the man jerked to the side and his body started to disintegrate and turn to ash before disappearing into the sky. Every single cell in his body broken down beyond medical repair.

The lesser White Fang went delirious and began to shout that the demon was coming for them. Each officer and specialized unit quickly took cover while looking for where the shot came from. It came from the building but Six was already gone. They noticed how the White Fang seemed to throw themselves into the transport truck, a horror stricken look adorning their faces. Even some of the officers shuddered at the thought of something that struck fear into them. Everyone had been on overtime to find this elusive killer that not only struck the White Fang, but also several other dangerous criminals in the area.

They weren't dealing with a killer or a monster, they were dealing with an apex predator. In the past few weeks, he had made the city his hunting grounds.

* * *

Six found a small corner near one of the dark alleyways. He was in a new area so the territory wasn't one he explored yet. Yes, his hunt had been ruined by the authorities, but it wasn't completely ruined in his eyes. He did manage to kill a high ranking White Fang member. The day was beginning to break and he'd rest a bit before going out later tonight and finding the other complex. While he could go another few days without rest, it was always good to remain at top shape. The day seemed to slip by and countless cars zoomed near him while the homeless came out of their little shelters and tents to stretch their legs. For the most part, they left him alone while he rested. His shotgun was in his hands underneath his cloak but he wouldn't raise it unless it was truly needed.

Countless hours seemed to slip by and the homeless continued to do their activities. It was safe for them to move around more, now that Six had started to eliminate the White Fang from various areas. A lot of them were intimidated by him and horrified by the fact that he barely showed anything when he killed, but in the end they were grateful he was doing something. Some of the individuals of the terrorist group would come down to their little community and harass them, sometimes even use them as a sick example to get more recruits. They had lost some good people to the monsters and they feared they would lose more if this continued. All it took was for them to tell Six where the last location was at and their problems started to disappear, along with the White Fang.

Their hunger problems also started to diminish slightly whenever food started to appear next to their tents. Along with a small stack of lien to buy supplies. Whenever they looked in his direction, they always found him in the darkest corner, just resting. His bag was always near him in arm's length and some saw him have a gun. The other communities experienced the same thing; supplies left by their tents while he just remained still in the darkest corner. He never really talked that much and it wasn't very pleasant to hold a conversation with him, but his mere presence did provide some form of comfort.

Soon, the sky started to darken and the homeless decided to start settling down for the night. They crowded around barrels on fire for some warmth and discussed their day and what they found. Some of them looked to see Six still sitting in his spot, not moving an inch from it and some contemplated on waking him up. A couple of hours passed by and the sky was completely dark by now, some had decided to turn in for the night while others just stayed up and talked more. They looked at him when they heard him stand up then walk by them, his large body seemed to stalk by them quietly.

"Where is warehouse seventy-six?" He asked calmly.

"It's on Indigo street, several blocks east of here. There should be a large abandoned bullhead field near that area if it helps. Used to be a good spot to rest at since it's abandoned but we had to move when the White Fang kicked us out." One of them answered.

"..." He nodded and began to walk away, but stopped when one of them reached in their pocket and produced something, it was a little tube-like item.

"Here, thought you might have this." One of them walked up to him and held it out with a piece of paper.

"What is it?" He asked, taking it and observing it for a few seconds.

"A homemade smoke bomb. I used to be quite the trouble maker when I was younger and made these all the time. It's gotten me out of even more trouble now more than ever. Figured you could use these, here's a recipe with different types in case you want to experiment a bit." The man said. Six grabbed the paper and observed it a bit before putting it in his bag then nodding. Shortly after he left towards the location. He didn't tell them what he was doing since it wasn't their business but they had a hunch, it was around that time the other murders happened.

Despite it all though, they wouldn't rat him out. Especially since criminals were starting to disappear for some reason, the more violent ones turned up dead while the less violent ones would be crippled. After this whole ordeal, maybe then could people start to finally be at a little bit of peace.

Six had found the location easily. The homeless proved to be quite resourceful when it came to information and he officially had a good layout of the city now. Each terrorist begged for their lives after he killed several of them without hesitation. The ones that surrendered tried to run before he killed them shortly after, stringing their bodies up by their feet while the last one begged for mercy. He listened to the man blubber about how he would change and start helping people more, to finally do good in his life. Six didn't care and broke his neck, leaving it on display for others to see. After getting the necessary information, he finally found the leader of the Vale branch.

Adam Taurus.

It seems the man had kept himself in the dark to avoid attracting the attention of Six. This mattered little though, this was Six's next target, the key to finally breaking the White Fang in Vale. Although he hadn't met him yet, Six did know he would be a challenge and slightly problematic to deal with. More observation would be required if he is to finally deal with the man. Any information would be carefully evaluated, he was already pushing the man into a corner to make foolish mistakes, it would be foolish of himself to not take the necessary precautions.

His window before the military arrived was starting to close now, and it was to be expected that they would arrive within the next few days. Despite the police hounding after the White Fang to deprive him of eliminating them, they still barely had an idea of what he looked like. All they got from the description from the arrested individuals was that he wore a large tattered cloak. The police were trying their hardest to find him; checking cameras, asking around, patrolling more often, he even rendered a few unconscious to avoid detection. Once the Atlas military arrived, his job would be ten times harder, but that mattered little to him. He was used to the odds being stacked against him. This was mere child's play compared to his final days on Reach.

His ammo was running low and he had to use the weapons from the White Fang to kill them, it proved to be longer than expected due to some of them having auras but they died in the end. He stopped when a voice met his ears, it was gruff and he looked ahead to see a man point a weapon at him. It didn't take a genius to tell that it was a Huntsman, most likely sent by Ozpin. More were out ever since last week. News of his work had reached the news around the city and several individuals were eager to make a name for themselves. Pride would be their downfall sooner or later, it always happened to egotistical individuals.

"Judging by the fact that you came out of that warehouse... you're this mysterious killer, huh?" The man said.

"..." Six just stared at him, taking in every feature of his opponent. He noticed how the man seemed to carry a large broadsword. It seemed to have vents along the blade, presumably to let the excess heat escape. It was slightly red in color and the handle had several buttons on it. The whole weapon was too over complicated and had several complications with it, several things could go wrong so quick with it but he didn't care, all he did was observe the man.

"I was warned that you were a quiet one. No matter, the police will thank me as will Beacon. With the festival so close, we can't afford to have a rampant serial killer on the loose." The man said. He charged at Six and swiped downwards, following up with a slash towards the Spartan's midsection. Six just moved out of the way silently, dodging a stab towards his stomach before moving out of the way of a swipe. He was waiting for the man to tire himself out a bit while he observed him. The man sent a kick at Six but he smacked it away from him before slamming an open palm towards his chest. The man skid back a few yards and coughed roughly, his aura had a chunk of it taken out of, and that was only with one hit.

Six walked towards the man and leaned back when a slash was aimed at his throat. He brought his arm up to block another slash that was aimed at his neck before bringing his forearms down when a stab was aimed at him. He noticed the man seemed to heavily rely on his right foot and he took advantage of this, sending his own foot outwards and striking the man's shin. A sickening snap was heard and the man bent down quickly, screaming for a second before attempting to slash at Six again. The Spartan moved out of the way and spun around, slamming his elbow on the man's back before spinning around again to slam his fist into his face. Six didn't give him a chance to recover before he grabbed the man's shoulders, spun him around, before slamming his knee into his back.

A sickening crack was heard along with a scream of agony and he dropped the man, tilting his head as the Huntsman screamed out curses. He gripped the man's head and dragged him over to the wall of the warehouse, rearing it back before slamming it forward. Blood suddenly painted the wall of the warehouse and the unconscious body slid down slowly. Six tilted his head as he observed the man. His face was mangled and broken in several places, his nose was certainly at an odd angle, and one of his eyes was jutting out of its socket. Despite it all though, he still seemed to be alive to an extent. If he died then no skin off his back, if he lived then it didn't matter to him. The man had gotten in his way and he didn't have time to be fooling around with Huntsmen and Huntresses.

Six just shook his head and started to walk away. The Huntsman behind him was broken and barely alive at this point; his condition was critical and there was a high chance that he may not survive. Nothing was going to slow him down anymore, the city would return to its normal state when he left for the wilds. Nothing in the city really appealed to him after all, it was just a simple hunting ground to him.

* * *

He was resting in a dark underpass for the past week after that night. While he didn't have a guaranteed location on Taurus, he did have a guess where he would end up. Somewhere where a lot of White Fang could be found without being caught or arrested. Warehouses were constantly being raided by the police, some found White Fang while others just found dead bodies from his work. If he had the time, then he would've just made the occupants of the warehouse disappear, but he didn't. He had only been here for three weeks and the White Fang were in such a disarray that they were providing valuable information. He always beat the authorities to the location and often collected the lives of the terrorists first.

Vale had done nothing to stop the terrorist group in the past, which resulted in the deaths of countless innocent people. There was no reason for them to interfere with his hunt now, it was almost complete and he wanted to leave as soon as possible. It seemed that the news was covering him, calling him various names seeing how he never revealed his to anyone. The White Fang called him a demon, the homeless called him their silent hero, but the public seemed to just call him the Ghost of Vale. There has never been a time during the day when he struck, it was only at night when he did it. During the night people were to be indoors earlier than intended while Huntsmen and Huntresses patrolled with the authorities.

Every since that Huntsman he crippled, they had stuck to teams of two. He didn't kill the authorities, seeing how that would worsen the situation, but he did heavily injure them and render them unconscious. The Huntsmen and Huntresses he would cripple and if the situation called for it, killed, it wasn't personal. He wasn't going out of his way to actively seek them out, but if they got in his way then he'd show them no mercy. They were interfering with something that needed to be done and nothing was going to stop him. He was aware that he was causing negativity levels to rise, but he didn't care. If the Ozpin was smart, he'd send the active Huntsmen and Huntresses to the walls and set up a secure perimeter, dealing with any Grimm that got too close.

His window had closed to wrap this whole thing up, it seemed the military had arrived. It didn't take his enhanced vision to see a fleet of Atlas ships flying in the sky, presumably as an act of power. If the military was here, then they could set up a perimeter around the walls, targeting any Grimm and giving the other party some breathing room. He knew that wouldn't be the case, they'd jump on board with hunting him. It was fine though, he'd leave a stack of bodies in his wake. The matter of his capture or if he was killed was another factor he had taken in. He still had his old core, ready to set off a chain reaction to destroy him and his armor should the situation call for it. Essentially, he had a dead man's bomb at the ready.

Tonight was the final night he'd be hunting the lesser White Fang. Most of them were either dead or arrested, which meant his job was nearly finished. He already had his target and this kill would be the final nail in the coffin to drive out Taurus from his little hole. There were multiple factors that he had to consider, things that needed to be dealt with if they were to come up. If he were to be surrounded then he'd create a smoke screen and start to eliminate the attackers, as quickly as possible without getting sloppy. It wouldn't matter if they were Atlas personal or Huntsmen and Huntresses, if they were a threat to him and were in his way, then he'd kill them. He didn't care if they labeled him a monster or a vicious killer. He had learned to not care what people called him over the years, so being called something negative was like water on his back. Nothing trivial bothered him that much anymore.

What mattered was his target, who he had been observing viciously. He had found a video of the man. It was obvious he carried a dangerous air around him; the way he walked, talked, and from what Six had heard, fought. The man was dangerous and not to be taken lightly. Six had several plans to deal with him, each one more vicious and cruel than the last. It wasn't known for the Spartan to harbor hate towards someone, but he hated the terrorist in front of him. In the past, Six had heard from the outer settlements that a bull faunus had killed so many people, most of them older and weaker but some barely coming of age. Good people that had their lives robbed from them due to this man, and the city didn't have the willpower to deal with him accordingly, even though they had the manpower. Now that he knew who it was, Six would be the one to finally kill him.

As soon as the day started to turn into night, he wandered around. He avoided military patrols by dipping into dark alleys and underpasses before going to the target location of the target. They weren't in a warehouse anymore, seeing how he would always strike there. It was in the residential district, closer to Beacon than he actually wanted. If anything, they had chosen to come hold up in an old, broken down apartment complex. Getting to the location took a while seeing how the military kept patrols in every district, but he finally managed to get to the location. He needed to be quiet with this one. He didn't have a lot of ammo nor would he attract the attention.

The residential district was one he stayed away from a majority of the time. Every time he was in the area, he was more careful of his surroundings. He didn't want civilians in the crossfire which is why he opted to be more careful this time around. It would go against his code to ignore civilians in the area. He hated putting civilians in danger, especially if it could be avoided in advance. It seemed that Huntsmen and Huntresses didn't care about this factor, seeing how in the outer settlements there were always a death or two due to crossfire.

He let his thoughts run as he made his way to the house, asking the homeless if they knew the area or the location. Some didn't and others did, the ones that did seemed to be of great use. It took an hour and a half to find the street it was located at, but he finally did. He observed from a building over, who went in and out, which ones were White Fang and which ones weren't. Another hour and a half of observing made him jump off the side of the building, creating a spider web of cracks. As he was walking towards the exit of the alley, he suddenly stopped when a transport truck passed by. He quickly hid behind a dumpster as light passed near him. It seemed to hover over the edge of his cloak for a second before leaving shortly after. It seemed that his cloak was mistaken as a dirty cloth, which made him sigh in relief at its appearance. Over time, he had grown attached to the cloth, so to see that it kept his identity hidden was just another thing to enjoy about it.

He looked both ways down the street to see if any patrol vehicles were headed his way before sprinting across the street. Bending down slightly, he jumped over the fence easily then landed on the ground below, kicking up a little bit of dirt. He peered at the broken complex then calmly walked to the the side of the building. As he closed his eyes and listened carefully, he could faintly hear some talking. The only thing that seemed to disrupt his hearing was the sound of numerous cars in the background.

A red blip appeared on his motion tracker, making him press his body to the side of the building. He heard grumbling about a task before grabbing the person by their mouth and putting them in a choke hold. Their body was lifted up and they struggled before going limp when he broke their neck. A few seconds later, the body crumbled to the ground as he dropped it then opened the back door, heading inside. The hallways on the first floor were dimly lit and some rooms were open. He looked in them and saw the state they were in before ignoring it, choosing to focus on the closed ones that had red blips behind it. Three red blips appeared on it and he shoulder checked the door open.

Their startled cries were ignored as he rushed up to the first one and brought out his knife, slashing her throat with so much force her head was merely dangling by a strand of flesh. Blood gushed all over the place and he moved onto the second one, gripping his head and twisting it counter clockwise until it was facing the wall behind him. The third one tried to fight back and tried to kick him, but he moved out of the way. He stepped on her leg at the shin and listened to the audible snap of the bone. Her scream barely made it out before he gripped her by her mouth then yanked up. Blood sprayed wildly as her head was yanked from her shoulders, the look of fear adorning her face.

He dropped the head then headed out of the room, checking on the main level before moving upwards. Each step he took made dust kick up but he didn't pay any mind to it, once he reached the floor above, he went down the left first, checking rooms and using his motion tracker. When there wasn't anything down that direction, he went to the right of the stairs and checked. There were six individuals down in this direction. Three to the room on his left and three on the room to his right, there weren't any in the other rooms seeing how they were open and barren. He went to the room on his right and knocked three times, disappearing into one of the barren rooms and waiting around the corner. The sound of the door opening met his ears and he hit the wall to draw the person's attention.

Footsteps grew closer and closer while he just waited patiently. After a few seconds of waiting, he wrapped his hand around their mouth and brought them around the corner. They looked up at him in terror while he just stared at them then sunk his knife in their back, ignoring their muffled scream before twisting their head to the left. A sickening crack was heard from their neck and he dropped the body onto the ground. He stepped out of the room and walked towards the one that the White Fang came out of, quickly rushing in and killing the remaining two. There was commotion from the room across from him and went up to the door, slamming his fist through it and pulling a head through it. He stared at the terrified member before bringing out his knife and slashing downwards, slicing through their neck effortlessly. Blood gushed from the wound and he discarded the head before storming into the room.

The remaining two attacked him at once but he simply moved out of the way of a downward slash before kneeing the first one in the nose, throwing their head back and and listening to their neck break. Their aura barely did anything against his natural strength and the suit. The second one brought out a shotgun and aimed it at him, but all he did was rush up to them and slam his fist onto their arm, breaking it violently. He forced them to aim the weapon at themselves and jammed it inside their mouth, pulling the trigger shortly after. Their head ruptured and bits and pieces of their skull splattered the walls, staining it in a shower of red. He dropped the corpse shortly after and headed upstairs.

His motion tracker picked up several people, no doubt one of them was Taurus. As he ascended the stairs more, he began to notice that their blips started to stop and he faintly heard several gunshots along with loud thumps. He rushed up to the top floor and came across the sight of several dead bodies, with gunshot wounds to their skulls and a sidearm in their hands. It seemed they took their own lives to avoid dealing with him, it was unfortunate seeing how he needed information. A voice in one of the rooms made him whip his head and storm down the hall. The last room on the right was locked and he kicked it in, looking to his right before looking to his left and seeing a White Fang panicking next to some military grade hardware.

He rushed up to them and gripped them by their neck with his right hand, lifting them up slowly. Their eyes widened in terror and they struggled in his iron grip, all he did was stare at them silently. Taurus wasn't in the building, which meant he was in another location. This was problematic, he was anticipating the man to be here so he could finally kill him then leave the kingdom.

"Where is Taurus?" He asked.

"He's not in the city anymore." The man gagged.

"Where is his next destination?" Six asked calmly.

"I'll never tell you. There's no point in begging because you never leave anyone alive, so the least I can do it keep my fellow brothers and sisters safe from-" He didn't get to finish his sentence before he started to gag violently. Six squeezed his neck to the point where blood was seeping out of his mouth. He watched as the man flailed around as pain flooded his system before a wet tearing noise was heard. Blood splattered all over the hardware as Six ripped the head from the man's shoulders and saw that the spine was still attached. He stared at the mutilated head before dropping it without a care in the world, then turned his attention to the hardware.

A couple of minutes was spent gathering information before he left when he heard sirens. It was unfortunate the man didn't say anything, but at least he could leave the city now. The White Fang here was broken and terrified, they would likely never step foot in Vale again after hearing about this. He could go back to the wild, the only problem was getting out now that the military was here. They would assist the authorities, along with the active Huntsmen and Huntresses. This was fine though, he'd adapt to the situation like he always has. If the situation called for it, he'd create a diversion without putting civilians in the way and make his escape.

The sewer system could prove to be useful if he had a map, there could possibly be a way for him to get out through there. In fact, he may just have to reside down there until the heat dies off a little bit.

Adam Taurus thought he was safe just because he wasn't in the city; he wasn't. Six had his trail now, and he'd follow it until he found the terrorist. From that point on; he'd track, wither him down, then finally tear his throat out.

* * *

He had managed to get inside the sewers without causing attention. While he was almost caught, he did manage to close the manhole cover before anyone could actually see him. The sewers would be one way to exit the city and they were his best bet seeing how the entrances to the city were probably sealed off. He wandered around them for the next few hours, searching for a map to find the best possible exit towards the wild. Eventually, he managed to find a map that led him in the right direction then synchronized it with his TACPAD. After a minute of doing that, he finally got a marker that led him to the outside.

His cloak would need to be washed thoroughly when he finally got out of here, as well as his armor. The rancid smell of waste would stick to him and drive away anyone he came in contact to, which he didn't want to happen. It also made him uncomfortable to have his armor dirty with waste, which is why he wanted to get out sooner rather than later. The sounds of waste sloshing beneath his feet was unpleasant to hear but he paid it no mind as he continued forward, stopping every once in a while to make sure he was taking the correct path. Above him were countless cars passing by and he could faintly hear the sounds of people above.

As he traversed through the tunnels, several thoughts began to come to mind. Most were about how he would deal with the Grimm that the Monitor had informed him about, others were about how the settlements were doing, and some of the others were about where the next facility would be. Pretty soon, he reached what looked like a waterfall that eventually went down to three separate drains. There was a noise behind him and he turned around to see lights aimed in his direction. He looked down at the waterfall and the drains, seeing that they were large enough for his body to fit through. The only problem is that he'd sink like a rock if he miscalculated his jump, which meant he needed to get a running start. A running start towards the middle drain would eventually lead him outside, and judging by the depth of the water below, it was deep.

There were voices addressing him when they saw him. He knew that they knew it was him, seeing how he still wore his cloak. Pretty soon, several authorities, military personal, and Huntsmen and Huntresses surrounded surrounded him. Each one aimed a weapon at him, while he just remained calm. They had found him faster than he expected, but it didn't matter. All he needed to do was make it to the middle drain and he'd be out in the wild again. From the amount of them there were, and the fact that he was found this quickly, it was safe to assume maybe one or two of the homeless had sold him out. A deal was probably struck if they told the authorities where he was at or was heading. There was also the possibility the numerous cameras in the city had managed to pinpoint his location. It still didn't explain how they found him down here so quickly. That was okay. His business was done with the city and he could return to his hunting grounds.

"By order of the city of Vale and the General of Atlas, you are hereby under arrest!" A Huntsman shouted.

"..." Six ignored him and began to back away towards the edge calmly.

"Stop!" Another ordered. He didn't, all he did was continue to back away until he was at a manageable distance. Everything was quiet and tensions were at an all time high before he suddenly threw down a smoke bomb, turned around and sprinted. They began to open fire at him, making his shields flare up in response before he used the edge as a springboard, then jumped. His body sailed through the air and he leaned a bit then flipped around, letting his back impact the drain and started to slide down it. The dirty water assisted him and he built up speed, swerving along with the curves of the drain.

He heard a noise and he looked behind him to see two Huntsmen slide after him. His lips pressed together in an unimpressed line before he equipped his DMR, maneuvering his body so that he was facing towards them while sliding down. The first one perished when he fired and managed to send the round into their skull, splattering their brain matter all over the pipe. He heard the angered cry of the second one as he followed after him, then used his aura to boost himself. Six felt the man crash into him and squeeze onto him tightly, but he merely just flexed his arms and slammed his fist against the Huntsman's face. He didn't stop after the first punch and kept slamming his fist into the Huntsman's face until his aura broke.

The two of them slid down the long pipe for a while, until Six saw the exit approaching quickly. He gripped the Huntsman's face and slammed it against the side of the pipe, ignoring the pained cries. He watched as flesh and blood began to paint the side of the pipe and little by little, the skull started to chip away. Both of them shot out of the pipe like a bullet and Six maneuvered the body so that it was underneath him. Water splashed as the two went under and he could faintly hear bones snapping violently as the body was crushed underneath his weight. He broke the surface quickly, throwing the broken corpse onto the shore and taking off further into the wild.

Nothing was felt for the Huntsmen that tried to go after him. They were standing in his way and he didn't have time to fool around. Personally, he would have avoided them all together. He didn't want to kill them, but as before, they were standing in his way. His business with the city was done, he wouldn't return here for a while seeing how much heat he had on him, but he didn't particularly enjoy cities. Cities on Remnant just rubbed him the wrong way, and it was better to stay out in the wild and focus on getting the Installation under the Monitor's control, than to fool around with the city and its shenanigans. He played it smart in concealing his identity and only striking when it was dark out, avoiding confrontation with large parties that drew public eyes, and only being aggressive when the situation called for it.

He could tell they were mobilizing after him, which is why he went further and further into the forest at a speed that would shock most. Trees were weaved through, rocks and other large logs were vaulted over, and narrow rivers and streams were jumped across. He made sure that his tracks were well covered and that he was far enough into the forest to where they had to be cautious. They were in his territory now, which meant they had to play by his rules. If they wanted to come after him, then they were welcome to try, he'd send them to the grave.

They had done nothing to stop the White Fang from enacting their terrorist actions, but the moment he started doing something he was considered a crazed serial killer? All he could do was shake his head at their stupidity. They could call him a crazed serial killer all they want, it still wouldn't change the fact that he had forced the White Fang to leave the city. His hunt was over in the city, now all that was left was to get the Grimm and kill it then head to the facility. His feet continued to carry him quickly. While he wasn't as fast a Spartan II, he was at least faster than the average human. The previous generation of Spartans were the more superior breed of Spartan and Six knew he was a cheaper copy despite what some had told him. He was made to go on suicide missions and expect to perish, it's just how it was.

He kept running until it was dark outside, by that point he was tired. It was to be expected, he had been running for a few hours, his daily training paid off it seemed. He was never one to skip out on exercise, doing anything that could keep himself in top shape, especially cardio. Once he was sure that he was a few hours to a day away from the city, he found a nearby cave and rested. After a while of resting, he had found a nearby river to wash his cloak. While he usually wouldn't care about the tattered, dirty look of if, the smell was another story. It usually smelled like pine but now it just reeked of dirty water from the sewer. People tend to pick up on those things. He didn't want to be pushed away from gathering supplies because of his cloak, so washing it was the best course of action.

It was odd really, he cared more about a piece of cloth than human lives. Had they taken the necessary actions, this whole thing would've never happened in the first place. Oh well, his hunt was finally over now. He was back in his preferred territory.

* * *

**Wow, you guys wrote a lot. Like thirty reviews in the first five hours, I have to admit, you guys impressed me. Kudos to you all. Anyways, I don't have much to say right now so let's get onto the reviews.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: Yeah, a shit show is ensured to happen if it comes to that. I basically had to go to the store at an odd time, something I usually hate, and people were ignoring the distancing rules they put in. I got into an argument with this one lady because she was literally three feet apart from me for whatever reason. In conclusion, she had to be escorted away because she was causing a commotion and was fake coughing on people.**

**Alby199800: I do too, but we just have to deal with this shit show. Stay safe also.**

**Malgrath: It's kind of fun to write Ozpin like this while keeping his character in check. Also, yeah, it's unfortunate that all this happened to me and other people, but we can't do anything. To be honest, I'm more worried about the foreign exchange students that were studying at my school. It sucks because one of them literally can't go home. Best of luck to you too.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: Here you go.**

**matthew116: He is. As for the Forerunner weapons, I'll probably mix and match a little bit. He won't just be limited to the Binary Rifle, so chances that he'll use the Suppressor in the future will be a probability.**

**Sm0keyPanda: I wondered that too. I mean, it isn't impossible that they couldn't so I wanted to at least try with it. Thanks for reviewing.**

**VGBlackwing: Another long review, I enjoy reading those at times. Sorry if I don't have a response to that, but thanks for reviewing.**

**saitama1155: Thank you, I'll try to keep your attention.**

**Dead344156: It's alright, it's just another unfortunate thing to happen to me along with everyone else. Also, stay safe.**

**PhoenixGuy: I mean, I hear that and some other things over here if it makes you feel any better.**

**Shen69: Thanks, I'll try to keep up the quality.**

**Rookie059: I'll try to work on those viewpoints also, it'd probably be an interesting take on their thoughts. Also, thanks for that. Stay safe.**

**Haxorus knight: Probably not.**

**Czechus: You got all those things right about Six. Also, I'm glad I didn't confuse you, I don't like to try and confuse readers. Stay healthy.**

**Akin2018: Indeed.**

**Name In Progress: Hmm, the armor thing would be hard to pull off if I decide to implement it into the story. It certainly would be an interesting take on it, so I truly don't know. Also the active camouflage would be a very interesting take on it, it's certainly something that would be a little difficult to implement, but I'm always up for a challenge. Thanks for reviewing and stay healthy.**

**Minxiboo: I just have to go at the right times, but I did find a place. Stay healthy, friend.**

**Marco Geddes: You're welcome.**

**OmegaDelta: Possibly.**

**darkromdemon: Chances are high, that's all I'm willing to say.**

**Lord Demolitions: One day in the future.**

**lowrex: Don't intend on stopping anytime soon.**

**DomR1997: Thanks for that.**

**Blaze1992: Pretty much. I didn't intend for him to turn out like that, it just sort of happened.**

**Josephi: I'm sorry to hear that. People do need to start isolating themselves, especially if they know they have it. Here's another chapter.**

**Amatsu Kagaseo: Will probably happen one day.**

**captaindickscratcher: They usually tell him under the false illusion that he'll let them live otherwise. It's not completely out of proportion that they might think that. Also that's kind of funny about the pot noodle thing. Sucks that you might have a two week shutdown though, some of my friends are already experiencing that.**

**Guest: Most likely not.**

**Hyjaxx: It's fine, and I'm sorry to hear that it happened to you as well. Stay safe.**

**InfernoKnightmare: Indeed. **

**Dovahwolf13: I should've done that to be honest, but with the amount of notoriety Six had built up, it probably would've led to more problems. Who knows, he might make a threat in the future.**

**Ghostly: Indeed on those things, although the last one has a slight twist.**

**singpu: Didn't know that. I think the way I'll handle the Binary Rifle is the ammunition is a sort of "battery" if you would. After he's out of the ammunition, it'll start to use the energy from his suit. I don't know, I'll think of something that actually fits with the story. I did know about the Forerunner weapons breaking down all usable biomass due to the Flood. Thanks for that little bit of information though.**

**The Lone Swordswolf: I'll probably have something in future chapters, I don't know when but different point of views is something I want to experiment with a it. **

**Redbrick6364: Sorry to hear that, hope you're staying healthy.**

**BRUNHILD: You're pretty much on it. I'm sorry for any unfortunate even that happens to you as well. Hope you stay healthy.**

**scottusa1: Thanks, laters.**

**TooLazyToLogin: Here it is. I'll try to keep Ozpin's character at least engaging so there's that. I'll look out for your new name and remember that it's you.**

**Gamerman22: Interesting ideas. I don't know about the energy sword though, there'd probably have to be a reason as to why one is on Remnant. The Boltshot isn't out of proportion though.**

**The Baz: I honestly didn't mean for that to happen. Not that that's a bad thing, but a lot of ideas are just popping into my head since I can't do anything right now, being on quarantine and everything.**

**free man writer: Thanks, I mean there are some better ones though.**

**THE HOMELANDER: That would've been cool.**

**CheesusChrist15: Ah, thank you for pointing that out. I would have probably gone through the whole story writing it as Instillation.**

**Reader: Well, Six is known to be patient with people. Though, sooner or later his patience will run thin.**

**Guest: It has.**

**Foxcomm: Not today, sir.**

**Foruwaner: Thank you.**

**Iron wolf22: That's a good thing.**

**BESKAR STEEL: While it was a little random, I didn't mind reading it. It certainly introduced me to Universal DOOM.**

**shelwyn: You know what, I'll just say thanks and leave it at that.**

**Guest: Alright?**

**54845H1 R3NY4: You are indeed on the right track.**

**Halofan2117: Here's some more.**

**sacke110: I do too. She'll probably have more of a headache further down the road.**

**Anon69: Yeah, I agree with you on that he's not invincible. Six would rather use strategy and his wits to win against his opponents. Sure, he is powerful and experienced, but he knows that there are more powerful foes that could kill him. I guess I wanted to make him a cunning individual rather than some overpowered character without a reason. Though, I'll try to keep his character in the middle ground. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Fenrir Wylde Razgriz: Thank you.**

**So thanks for reading everyone, I don't really know what to say other than thanks. I guess some more about Six as a character? He's not really one to show mercy or care about what people think about him. If anything, he's more known to do whatever it takes to complete the task at hand. He'd rather just stick to silence and have his actions dictate what people think about him. A lot of you are probably wondering why he escaped so easily, or rather got out so easily. For one, he has a technological advantage and another thing is he used the resources that were available to assist him. He'll use anything at his disposal and he knows how to use it at the right time. There'll be more next chapter in regards to his killing spree in the city.**

**To be honest, I think this chapter turned out okay. Not the best, but okay enough for people to have a decent read. I guess it's just me being humble as hell, seeing how that's just how I am. Anyways, I hope you all stay safe and healthy in spite of everything happening. See you guys later.**


	15. Chapter 15: Familiar Territory

Nora and Ren didn't know what to feel at the moment. It was like they were lost in the wind all of a sudden. They had been watching the news recently, everyday for the past month when they heard about murders in the White Fang. It also showed a couple Huntsmen that had been killed recently, by the same individual that eradicated the White Fang from Vale. Both of them knew he was in the city, doing what he did best, but when they heard how he crippled a Huntsman and killed two others, they suddenly felt... lost in a sense. It wasn't the type that made them change their immediate viewpoint about him, but it made them cautious of him. Both of them knew he killed a lot of people, bandits and other unsavory individuals, but Huntsmen and Huntresses was another topic. Was it because they got in his way or because he merely defended himself? They wanted to lean towards the latter but the former was a possibility.

What if they got in his way? Would he do the same to them as he did to those Huntsmen? It certainly wouldn't be out of proportion for him to do those things, but they had a feeling he would give a bit more leniency towards them. They were confused, and that bothered them a bit. It was odd though, they were more worried about what Six would do to them if they got in his way, than the deaths of over three hundred people. Right now, they were back to their younger selves, confused and bothered. When they watched the news, they merely watched it with indifference about the White Fang and some criminals, but when they watched about the Huntsmen... they felt a little hurt.

"Ren?" Nora turned to him.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Do you think Six'll hurt us?" She asked. It went quiet for a while, usually whenever she asked a question, he was able to answer it after some thought. Now though, he didn't know if he could. It was like something kept his mind on lock down and wouldn't let it run its course.

"I don't know. Maybe?" He scrunched his eyebrows. It was an odd feeling, not knowing about something that pertained to the safety of him and Nora. He was at a dilemma for the most part, maybe if he asked Six the question then he'd know for sure.

"Oh..." She whispered underneath her breath. Her voice sounded smaller than what it was, she was just as confused as he was.

"I don't think he'll just hurt us for no reason. You remember what he said to Jaune when we last saw him? He said the odds will not always be in our favor, maybe the odds weren't in Six's favor and he did what he had to do to escape. If he was in the city, then it probably meant he wanted nothing more than to get out. Maybe he didn't have time to make a full proof plan. It's just things to consider." He explained. While Nora did have trouble understanding some things, she wasn't remotely stupid. She just let her enthusiasm get the better of her sometimes, which clouded her thinking at certain moments.

"I think... I think I get it. Thanks, Ren." She smiled.

"Anytime." He smiled back. It was important for them to look out for one another, just some encouraging words would be enough at times. He saw her go to her bed and grabbed a chest, bringing it out and pulling it towards Ren. He smiled and opened it, revealing two small cloaks that Six had made for them. Ren's was slightly smaller since he mainly used his to seal up any tears in their clothing, while Nora's was used to keep them warm at night. To anyone else, these were just dirty pieces of cloth that would've been thrown away; but to them it was sacred. These mere pieces of cloth have kept them warm on many nights and sewn up any tears they had in their limited amount of clothes.

"You think he'd laugh at us if he found out we kept these?" She asked.

"Probably not. You already know he isn't one to laugh." He commented.

"That's my main goal then. Before I die, my main goal is to make Six at least smile." She stood up on the bed proudly.

"That's quite the goal there, Nora." He nodded.

"You just watch Ren, he'll be laughing like a mad man in no time!" She pointed at him.

"I won't go as far as laughing like a mad man, but you may be able to make him smile." He nodded.

"Ha!" She laughed boisterously. He had to stifle a laugh as he watched her become more and more animated with her gestures. Of the two of them, she was always the one that displayed more emotions. She was always so vocal about what she was feeling while he was used to keeping his bottled in until the situation called for it. They were always together, especially when their father figure wasn't present. Even when he wasn't around, his actions were often relayed through others. His actions were like a wolf's howl, always present somewhere in the world. That was basically what they were, wolves. Nora and Ren were the pups of the Big Bad Wolf, ones that still had a ways to go before they were ready for the world. They wouldn't have it any other way, their home was ultimately with Six. He may not be around them physically, but spiritually he was.

A noise brought them out of their little moment, making them look towards the door to see Pyrrha and Jaune walk inside the room. They looked appalled for the most part, like they had seen a ghost or a phantom, but in reality they were just witnessing the aftermath of Six's killing spree. Jaune was more terrified than anything. He was oblivious at times, and a little dorky, but he wasn't oblivious to the point where he could just gloss over the fact that three hundred people had been killed. In the span of a month, that was more than any Grimm attack he had heard of.

Pyrrha just looked... disturbed. She didn't know what to think to be honest. A part of her knew who it was, the same man that had given her team lessons and helped Nora and Ren grow. All her hunches always drifted back to the man, because everything about him just screamed killer. He scared her, even though she only met him once, it was enough to put a healthy amount of fear into her. There was also the fact that she feared what Nora and Ren would think of her if she decided to fight him, or at least attempt to. Both of them were the closest thing she had to actual friends and she didn't want to squander it. If anything, she was more cautious of the man than before.

"Hey guys..." Jaune waved weakly.

"Hey, fearless leader." Nora waved back.

"Heh... I wouldn't go as far as calling me fearless..." He trailed off uncomfortably.

"Nonsense, good chap! You're about as fearless as the next person when dealing with Grimm!" She beamed.

"Yeah..." He rubbed his neck sheepishly. The air around them suddenly went quiet for a while and Nora's smile faltered a bit before it dropped. Ren's face just remained passive but he knew why the environment around them suddenly had an uncomfortable feel to it.

"This is about the murders... isn't it?" She asked.

"Yeah. I mean, I may be an idiot at times but I do know there is murder in the city. This though? This was a massacre. Everyone is saying it was the doing of one man, but how could it? He would've been caught by now." He paced around the room.

"It's Six." Ren said calmly.

"What?" Jaune asked.

"It's Six. The guy that did all that was Six. He's the one that got rid of the White Fang, and some criminals." Ren answered in the same tone.

"If the authorities get a hold of this information, then he'll be caught, right?" Jaune asked.

"He's probably out of the city by now. If anything, he won't be back after dealing with the White Fang. I mean, it has been two days since we heard about the deaths of those Huntsmen." Nora said. Her tone seemed... odd in a sense. Jaune and Pyrrha could tell she was uncomfortable talking about the deaths of those Huntsmen, but the tone she used when talking about the White Fang was jaded. It was like she felt a detachment towards them.

"Are you two okay?" Pyrrha asked.

"We're fine." Ren said.

"Are you really? I mean, with all these murders going on-" She started.

"We're fine, Pyrrha. A little shaken about the deaths of the Huntsmen, but otherwise fine." Nora waved.

"What about the White Fang? Are you not concerned about them?" Pyrrha asked.

"I mean, I don't really know what to feel about them. For the most part, Ren and I don't really feel anything." Nora shrugged.

"Oh..." Pyrrha whispered. That was slightly concerning to be honest, and a little frightening. She looked at Ren to see him nod alongside Nora, neither of them were bothered by the deaths of criminals and the White Fang. The deaths of the Huntsmen seemed to affect them more. It was almost as if they had witnessed something that was to be considered taboo.

"What's that?" Jaune pointed at the cloaks, he had vaguely seen them at times but whenever he asked, they would hide it from him.

"Some of the best items in the world!" Nora beamed.

"I've seen you guys have that when we first arrived." Pyrrha chimed in.

"These are the cloaks made by Six. They're so amazing that it will keep you warm on a cold night!" Nora exclaimed.

"They also patch up any holes in your clothes." Ren added.

"Is that what was in the chest?" Jaune asked.

"Yep! If you try to break into it and touch them without our permission, I'll break your legs!" Nora flashed a thumbs up.

"Good one." Jaune chuckled a bit. It wasn't uncommon for her to say that, so he merely dismissed it as playful jab.

"No, I'm being serious. I will break your legs in several different directions if anyone other than Ren touches the chest and takes these." She said. He noticed how her tone seemed to drop and the room suddenly felt heavier, it was like a sudden weight was dragging him down. Pyrrha felt it too. She felt that same suffocating feeling when she met Six, only this one was more bearable.

"We get it. We won't touch your belongings." Pyrrha reassured. In an instant, the metaphorical weight seemed to lift and the room returned to its normal atmosphere.

"Good! Now that that's all over, let's get out and get some fresh air!" Nora beamed enthusiastically. The other three just watched as she took the cloaks and folded them neatly, then gently placed it in the chest. They watched as she pushed the chest underneath the bed and stood up. She walked to the door and stopped before looking at them, flashing as bright smile and exiting out of the room.

"Come on, it's best not to keep her waiting." Ren said as he stood up and followed her out. All that was left in the room was Pyrrha and Jaune, who just basked in silence for a minute before following their teammates out. It was times like these that made them realize they really didn't know their teammates that much.

* * *

Ozpin clutched his head tightly. A headache seemed to have formed inside of his mind as he listened to Glynda's furious rants. He had made a mistake, that much he'd admit, and he didn't expect the man he had been observing to actually escape. To say that his assistant was rather... upset, would be an understatement. She was digging into him like a furious mother would to their child. Throughout the past month, she had been assigned to the case the moment the second crime scene happened and did everything in her power to help the authorities. It didn't matter though; with her lack of sleep, helping the authorities in hopes of catching this killer, and getting the students ready for the tournament, she had been rather irritable lately. She even had to deal with Ironwood's shenanigans with the whole situation.

"I understand I made a mistake. However, in my defense, I did not anticipate that he would be this elusive-" He attempted to say.

"He's managed to kill over three hundred people in the span of a month, Ozpin! Then escape while killing two perfectly noble Huntsmen! There's also the fact that we don't know what to tell the families of the Huntsmen he's killed! I don't know how you're so smart yet so dumb at the same time. What if one of our students decided to go after him?! We barely know what he is capable of, all we know is that he's dangerous and unpredictable!" She shouted, her face was starting to turn to a light shade of red in anger.

"..." He didn't say anything but just sighed.

"Your obsession with this man is just as bad as James. The both of you get people killed in hopes of either capturing him, killing him, or striking a deal with him. Did you forget that he declined us five years ago? The answer has been the same since, he's not interested in us. The people in the frontier show more trust towards someone who's never taken off a dirty cloth than Huntsmen and Huntresses, who've trained years to deal with Grimm. Several settlements are openly hostile towards us because you believe that he'll join us if we get people to agree with us." She continued.

"He has managed to lead us to one of Salem's pawns. While he may not be openly against us, we do have a common enemy." He said.

"Somehow, you not only ignore the fact that he killed over three hundred people, but also everything I've got on you about." She rubbed her eyes harshly. Only her superior was able to gloss over the fact that this man had managed to eradicate an entire terrorist cell in the city, scare the survivors into a constant state of panic, and escape without being captured. He may have been seen, but the chances of him being captured were close to none.

For the most part, Ozpin just felt utter disappointment. He was so close to catching this man and he managed to slip through his fingers like always. A part of him wanted to use Nora and Ren to draw out Six again, it seemed to work last time. It would take a better sense of management and judgement before he actually went through with it, he didn't want to admit but Ironwood did have some ways that worked, although questionable. He knew that Six wouldn't hurt Ren and Nora, which is why he wanted to try the tactic again. It just needed to be worded correctly in order to avoid a conflict from breaking out.

The sound of the elevator doors opening made him direct his attention from Glynda to the doors. Inside the elevator was the General of the Atlesian military and the current Headmaster of the academy there, James Ironwood. If one were to describe him; it would be prideful, slightly arrogant, and vengeful to a certain degree. Another factor that Glynda had to deal with. She had noticed that the kills became more messy and brutal the moment the military arrived, something she had to witness unfortunately. A small headache was already making itself known to her as soon as she saw the man. Ever since he had heard that Six was in the city, he had decided to make a small task force to hunt the man.

"He's gone. All that planning and preparation, down the drain." Ironwood said as he stormed in the office.

"Indeed. It seems we have underestimated this man." Ozpin nodded.

"I should have come sooner, maybe then I could've come up with several different countermeasures-" Ironwood started.

"I doubt that it would've bettered the situation, James. Even with the combined efforts of the police force, Beacon, and your military, he still escaped. What did you expect from someone who's never stopped for more than possibly two weeks. I understand your anger, but sending people after him is only going to worsen the situation." She said.

"Then what would you have us do? In case you didn't know, he's killed platoons, entire platoons! You expect me to let someone like that go?" He raised his voice. There was an angry undertone when he spoke of the platoons that had perished.

"Don't raise your voice at me. I expect you to be more cautious when dealing with someone of this caliber. If you were to actually listen to Qrow when he meets up, he'll tell you that the man is unmatched. There is no way to tell who he is, where he came from, or what his intentions are. All we know is that he isn't one to be taken lightly. If we are to go after him, then we need to be extremely cautious of him." She said.

"All the more reason to either have him executed or put in prison." He said.

"There's an ulterior motive for wanting him either dead or locked up, isn't there?" Ozpin asked.

"No." Ironwood denied.

"There is. I've known you long enough to tell about these types of things." Ozpin said.

"..." The General went quiet, which in turn made the air tense.

"James." Glynda narrowed her eyes.

"He has something, something that is beneficial to the state of Atlas." He said after some time.

"Care to enlighten us?" Ozpin asked.

"I'm afraid not." Ironwood shook his head.

"... You know what, I'm not going to stress myself out anymore. You want to keep your secrets as to why you want him, fine... just help us come up with a solution to deal with him." She sighed. The three of them began to discuss different ways to either capture or pin Six down. Almost every solution was quickly scratched out and replaced with another one. Even with their collective ideas, it was nearly impossible to come up with a solution to deal with Six. He was an enigma, so much that even the people in the frontier of all kingdoms didn't know about him. Nobody knew about him; and to the three of them, that was a problem. Not a single person knew where he came from, who he was, or what he was after. All they really knew was that he was dangerous and quiet, a very lethal combination.

The only light he had shining on him was from the people of the frontier, and that he managed to assist in the capture one of Salem's pawns. Some people said that he did more than any Huntsman or Huntress has ever done for them. This alone rubbed Ironwood the wrong way; one man had managed to build up more trust than individuals who have trained to combat Grimm and the government. He remembered how a couple of the outer settlements in Atlas showed outright disgust when the military tried to make its presence known. Even when arrests had been made and the individuals interrogated, they still refused to give up any information about Six.

His skills surpassed even some of the best Huntsmen and Huntresses, even then that was just the tip of the iceberg. More time was spent discussing how they were to deal with Six, more solutions were just scratched out and replaced with even more. The day began to drip away and the night soon came after.

"I'm advising that we send teams after him, I have several capable applicants that are at the ready." Ironwood said.

"And throw them to their deaths? No, the most we can do is observe him from a distance and gather enough intelligence to come up with a solution." Glynda said.

"What about those two children?" He asked.

"What about them?" She narrowed her eyes, Ozpin must have told him about Ren and Nora.

"We could possibly use them to gather information about him. Ozpin, you said that they were taken underneath his wing, correct?" He asked.

"They were, but chances of them actually knowing who he is and what he is truly like is low." Ozpin said.

"Any information is still valuable. It's better than nothing." Ironwood said.

"We are not bringing them into this. I don't care if they're his children or not, we are not risking their lives by sending them after him." She said. Her comment drew both sets of eyes on her while she just crossed her arms. It was true, she didn't care if Six was their father or not, she wouldn't risk sending her students after someone so dangerous.

"Why would you assume they would be sent after him?" Ozpin asked.

"Because I know it's something you would do. There's also the fact that they are the only connection to him, something you two are quick to exploit." She answered.

"A little biased, but I'll ignore that comment." Ozpin said.

"It's not biased in the slightest, you do these things and expect everyone to be fine with it." She replied before looking at the time to see it had dipped well into the night. Her feet were starting to ache a bit from her shoes and she was tired, there was also the fact that the students were still excited about the festival. Despite the amount of violent murders that happened, Ozpin and the council had felt that cancelling the festival would create a rather large spurge of negativity. She didn't know what to do; she wanted to have Six arrested and left to his fate, but she also didn't want to go after him and perish.

"All things considered, I feel as if we should take it easy for the night." Ozpin said.

"Agreed, we will talk more about this at a more appropriate time." Ironwood said.

"When you have calmed down and started thinking rationally?" Glynda raised an eyebrow.

"I am perfectly calm." He retorted.

"Your tone says otherwise. I understand your anger, but you need to think more rationally than sending people to their deaths so recklessly." She turned away and headed towards the elevator. The doors closed before he could start his angry rant. It was bad enough that they didn't come up with a solution, she didn't need any more negativity from the vengeful General. It was unfortunate that he had witnessed the deaths of a couple of platoons, but that just meant he needed to be more cautious when dealing with this man. They were dealing with an anomaly, someone of the unknown that didn't match Remnant's standards.

To be honest, she was more scared of the man than anything. If one to compare him to an animal, it would probably be a wolf. A wolf that never found a home and always traveled alone. She didn't want to bring Ren and Nora into the loop for a reason; if something were to happen to them and Six found out, there's no telling what he would do. A thought like that scared her. To them, he was their father figure and they'd go to hell and back for. Who's to say that he wouldn't do the same?

Wolves don't take too kindly to their pack being put in harm's way.

* * *

Six had managed to get back to the facility near Mountain Glenn, then transported himself to the main one. It had taken him longer than what he had hoped but he was finally at his destination. He had to avoid confrontation with the authorities and military, avoiding settlements on the way and had decided to stay in the facility for the next few days. Despite him washing his cloak to the best of his ability, the Monitor had taken it from him, claiming it was dirty beyond all comprehension. All he did was stare at her and give her his cloak before watching her disappear. Several minutes later she returned, a cleaner looking cloak. He inspected it for a bit before putting it on a table in one of the many rooms. It certainly smelled better, so that was a plus. When asked why, he was given the answer that she didn't like dirty things in her facilities.

His next course of action was to take out the Grimm that had been dormant for however many years. She seemed elated to hear that he would handle it after resting and to hear that his next objective was to head to the facility next. He did intend to keep his word, and she promised that she would give him a reward for his efforts. After he sent a signal to the UNSC, he went to the table where his items were at then started to rest. This lasted for a few minutes before he felt the Monitor's presence near him and turned to look at her.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Why do you sleep with your armor on? Are you not uncomfortable?" She asked.

"No." He answered curtly. She hummed in response and just stared at him, observing his behavior.

"You are an odd one, Reclaimer." She commented.

"I see..." He replied quietly.

"There is a room that would be more comfortable." She said.

"I thought this was merely a research facility?" He asked.

"The entire Installation is made for research. It was made for long expeditions, so there needed to be a place for them to rest. I feel that if you were to rest there instead of on the floor or at a table, you would be at maximum capability." She said.

"... Show me." He said after a few seconds of silence.

"Right away!" She beamed brightly before spinning around. He sighed a bit before standing up and collecting his belongings, then proceeded to follow her throughout the complex. They took a right into one of the halls from the main atrium, then walked for a bit. On either sides of him, there were countless rooms that hummed to life whenever he would walk by. Strange symbols adorned the top of the doors and sometimes on the sides. As he was near one of the rooms, he stopped when one of the doors on his left opened and he looked inside. There were countless chambers that were on both sides of the room, each one empty as some of the abandoned towns he had come across. It was like they had been empty for several thousand years.

"What is this room?" He asked as he stepped inside and began to observe it. The room was rather large and had a certain chill to it, it was clean to the point where he could eat off the ground. A large table was at the end of it, presumably for surgery. As he stepped towards one of the chambers, he looked to the side and saw a panel, pressing a few buttons to open it. The door clicked and smoke seemed to pour out before the chamber opened to reveal a comfortable looking bed inside.

"It is the medical bay. I have not used this room for a very long time due to nobody needing it. There were times when I considered dismantling it, but decided against it. Now that you're here, it would serve as a good place to recover from any injuries you acquire over your journey." She informed.

"I see." He said quietly and followed her out of the room. The door shut quickly and he turned to his left to continue to follow her. Both of them had walked for thirty more seconds before he came across a room, it wasn't extremely large, but it was clear that it had space for a couple of people to sleep in here. Inside was one large bed that had a desk on the side, along with several items placed neatly. This must have been somebody's personal quarters, it was clear that the Monitor had taken good care of the room.

"This is the room of one of the higher Forerunner individuals. It is now your personal quarters if you wish." She turned to him.

"Why?" He asked.

"You have proven to be a rather noble individual. I have control of a small part of the Installation because of you, plus it would serve as a way to show my gratitude. While I would like for you to get these facilities up and running sooner, I will not rush you if you do not want to. I understand if you have personal matters to attend to, therefore it would be foolish of me to try and force you to do something you do not wish." She said.

"..." He didn't say anything for a minute. This was an odd feeling, one that didn't really fit well with him for some reason. He wasn't used to being rewarded this much, it felt like she was giving him too much.

"I will take my leave now." She said then started to exit the room.

"Monitor." He called out.

"Yes?" She stopped and turned to look at him.

"... Thank you." He said after a few moments of silence.

"You are most welcome, I will leave your personal quarters now. I still have to put the finishing touches on the explosives I have created." She said. He nodded and watched as she left the room, leaving him all alone. To him, being in this room felt weird, like he was a foreign entity. He didn't know much about Forerunner history, and he would like to know more seeing how he had a construct able to educate him. It made sense though, she did state that this facility was made for long expeditions, so it was to be expected that they would need some place to rest at.

He would learn more at a later date, it was time to rest before he dealt with this Grimm.

* * *

He left for the location of the Grimm early in the morning. Around five in the morning to be exact, much earlier than anyone would wake up, but he was already heading towards the mountain top. The explosives he had collected were around the size of his forearm, and there were three of them. Cylindrical in shape, they pulsated an eerie orange color that was slightly alluring to look at. She explained that once one of them was detonated, it held enough power to set off a chain reaction and detonate the others shortly after. She explained the magnitude of the force the explosions would generate, and it was slightly concerning to him. While yes, it was controlled and would terminate the Grimm like it was supposed to do; it also had enough power to level half a settlement if he wasn't careful.

While she did claim she could create a less powerful set of explosives, it would take some time like before, which he didn't want. He just needed to make sure it was away from settlements, up in the air, or still residing in the mountain top. All three were preferable. She had given him locations alongside it's skull and torso. He would set one inside of its skull, one inside the side of its throat, and the final one inside of its torso. While he was sure just one to the skull would be enough to kill it, he wanted to make sure that just in case one explosive didn't work, the others would. Worst case scenario, he would just have to deal with it the old fashioned way.

He wanted this done as quick as possible so he could be on his way. If he is able to complete this, not only would it give the people of the frontier more breathing room, it would also open up a new area for some to explore. His thoughts began to run as he merely walked in the direction of the Grimm. It was comforting to be walking again, not having to worry about authorities patrolling every street or interrogating the next White Fang. Out here, it was his territory and if they wanted to come after him, then they needed to abide by the rules of the wilderness.

Time seemed to come to a crawl as he walked towards the mountain top. Days went by slowly and the nights seemed to drag on, longer than most but it was peaceful for the most part. Grimm that attacked him rarely posed a threat, they really only attacked when they saw him, otherwise he left them alone. There was no need to use his personal ammunition, especially if he would probably have to deal with the giant Grimm. After another day of walking, he had finally reached the mountain top, specifically the area he was supposed to be at. The ground below him felt odd, each time he stepped on it, it would give the faintest vibration. He really hadn't anticipated for it to literally be buried underneath a mountain of rock.

Although he didn't want to, he had decided to use one of the explosives the Monitor had made for him. This not only gave him an idea on how big the actual explosion was, but it also gave him an opening to the Grimm. He sighed a bit before pushing down the slight irritation at the small twist of events before slamming his foot into the mountain top. Little by little, the spot underneath him caved a bit and he eventually created a little hole with the heel of his foot. It took a few minutes, but he managed to actually create a large enough hole to set one of the explosives in. He bent down and reached inside of his bag to fish out one of the charges, placing it in the hole before sliding down the mountain top.

He slid for a minute or two before taking cover behind a large fallen tree that was towards the middle of it, and pulling out one of the detonators. The button was pressed and a large explosion rang out, shaking the ground slightly and causing a large gust of wind to blow several things over. Rocks soared in the sky and plummeted with great speed towards the ground, landing near him and on the sides of the initial explosion. The sound from the explosion rang out for miles and could be heard by numerous ears, no doubt causing confusion for some. He wasted no time and climbed up the mountain, dodging over tumbling rocks and avoiding some by jumping out of the way. Not a second could be wasted. There was no telling if that explosion had actually woke it up or not, but he didn't want to risk it escaping before he could do anything.

The mountain top rumbled a bit as he neared the top, but he continued forward. Seconds passed and the rumbling got worse before he heard a loud growl erupt from the origin of the hole. It was waking up, he knew it was, if not from the explosion then probably from the negativity from his actions in the city. While he would have like for it to remain dormant while he took care of it, it just meant he needed to adapt to the situation.

Colossal boulders seemed to skyrocket in countless directions as the large Grimm burst from its stone confines. Its large wings flapped for a few seconds as it merely flew in the air, letting out a large screech. That large terrible screech seemed to echo for miles and could be heard by all, making him frown. With a sudden burst of speed, he jumped in the air with all his might and managed to grab the very edge of its tail. Its movements made him slip slightly, but he stabbed its tail with his knife to hold on better. It started to fly in a direction while letting out a large, terrifying screech. The wind blew his hood off and he looked forward, seeing how massive it actually was.

He started to slowly climb up its tail, each time he grabbed a part of it, he would stick his knife into its body to make sure he was secure. It must have felt that he was on because it started to fly more forcefully, flapping its wings and flying at a greater speed. The little spikes on its tail offered him a little coverage and he gripped them tightly whenever its tail would whip upwards. He could faintly see Beacon in the distance and saw that it was heading towards there. A deep frown adorned his face and he grunted a bit as he began to climb up its body faster. It was imperative that he got up to its head, from then on he could do something to direct it away from Beacon. Although he didn't like Beacon, he still wouldn't risk having the inhabitants injured or killed from the Grimm.

Little by little, he managed to climb his way up the Grimm, using anything to give him an edge. He used it's spikes, loose scales, and even his hands and knife to climb up to its head. Pretty soon, he had managed to get up to the nape of its neck and was behind the armor on its face. He quickly grabbed one of its horns and threw all of his weight onto it, throwing it off course and directing it back towards the mountain top. It rotated its head and started to fly erratically in hopes of knocking him off, but he held on tightly. It suddenly stopped flying forward and flapped its wings, powerful gusts of wind kept it in place and its eyes tried to catch sight of him. He equipped his DMR and aimed it at the middle eye on it's right side before firing.

The round soared through the air and ruptured the eye like a wet balloon. He quickly put his DMR away and jumped towards its now ruptured eye, slamming his entire arm into it while his other one slammed into the armor. The white armor broke easily and his arm was stuck in it while his other one was in its eye, making is screech in agony. He ignored the loud noises it was creating before he started to pull on the ruptured eye, forcing it to fly away from Beacon. It's claws tried to pry him off but they dropped when he would jerk his arm around and cause more pain. He looked back and saw that Beacon was beginning to getting smaller and smaller by the minute; he looked down to see large black drops impact the ground, creating more Grimm.

"..." He said nothing and just turned his attention back at the Grimm, pulling at the eye some more and forced it to fly in a direction further away from any settlement. More screeching met his ears and he glared at it, people could probably see from miles away. There was no doubt that it would attract the attention of the Atlas military. His thoughts went back to the people of the frontier, he needed to be aware of the Grimm dropping those tar-like substance drops on the ground. His grip on the colossal Grimm tightened when it started to spin around, hoping to throw him off. It spun around several times but his grip remained tight, the only thing he did was wait for it to stop spinning.

It flew erratically for several minutes as he remained in the same spot, thinking on how he could take it down. At first, he wanted to stick the explosives in its eye; but with how it was currently flying, chances were he'd drop them when he went to go into his bag. He saw that it was near his favorite settlement and his gaze hardened at the Grimm, pulling at the now mutilated eye violently. It screeched in pain and he saw one of its wings turn towards the settlement, making him rip his hand out then slam it back in, making it jerk to the side and fly near it. Powerful gusts of wind seemed to rattle the buildings below and he quickly brought out his Binary Rifle and took careful aim. His aim wobbled a bit due to the jerking of the wings and aiming with one hand. A second later, he fired at the elbow joint of the wing. It screeched horribly as the wing started to disintegrate a bit. The Grimm seemed to notice this and ripped its wing off in desperation, letting the two of them plummet at an angle.

The two of them started to plummet quickly, making him retract his arm from its eye and the other from its armor. He took a deep breath before suddenly locking his armor as the two of them neared the ground. It seemed like an eternity had passed as the two of them gradually plummeted, in reality it was fifteen seconds. His body slammed against its head as the two of them crashed into the ground with a thunderous boom. Dust was kicked up from the initial impact, countless trees were uprooted as they skid against the ground for a mile or two, boulders were reduced to pebbles with ease, and there was a large divot created from them.

His body was thrown a bit from it and he bounced across the ground for what seemed like forever. Its body had broken his fall for the most part and he was glad he didn't let go, considering how high up they were from the ground. He still felt the small amount of pain from the fall, but at least a majority of it was soaked up from the Grimm and his armor locking up. When he finally stopped after crashing through a tree or two, he unlocked his armor and stood up with a slight groan before dusting himself off. Aside from the small amount of pain that would disappear soon, he was fine overall.

He looked around to see himself in a large clearing, far enough away from the settlement to where no harm could be done. This was good, although it had escaped and probably caused a surge of negative emotions at its appearance, he did manage to get it away to avoid casualties. That was good enough in his eyes. The situation had its ups and downs, but it seemed to work out in the end, because he made it.

The ground below seemed to rumble and he looked at the Grimm, seeing it flail around a bit before staggering up. Blood gushed from its wound on its arm and the one on its eye before it looked around. He equipped his DMR as it turned its sights towards him and screeched loudly, throwing its arm up and flapping its remaining wing. Massive droplets of the tar-like substance landed near him and a few Beowolves jumped out. They roared at him and started to run at him quickly, prompting him to fire three shots. Each one landed in their skulls and splattered blood on the ground. Their bodies landed near him and two more seemed to lunge at him and he side stepped the first one before ducking underneath the second one. He equipped his shotgun and aimed it at them, firing once and killing the first one easily. The second one staggered a bit and he rushed up to it, slamming his fist on the top of its head before uppercutting it. Its head exploded from the force of the punch and splattered blood over the ground.

He turned back to the large dragon-like Grimm and saw it roar at him again, raising its wings once again and letting a large gust of wind engulf him. The force from it made him skid back a bit but he stopped shortly after. It threw its wing forward again and sent another wave of Grimm at him, this time it was a small horde of Ursa and Beowolves. He equipped the Binary Rifle and aimed, killing two Ursa majors with two shots. Three Beowolves quickly dashed at him, but he simply fired two more times and killed the regular ones, watching their bodies disintegrate. The Alpha lunged at him recklessly and swiped, but he blocked with the rifle and slammed the stock into its stomach. It staggered and bent down while he went behind it and climbed on its back. His rifle was quickly put on his back and he wrapped his hands around its snout and the back of its head, twisting it violently. The sickening snap of its neck met his ears and he rolled off of its body when it collided with the ground.

The Grimm dragon threw its head forward and roared at him loudly, before raising its wings again. He quickly equipped the Binary Rifle and aimed at the joint of its remaining wing, firing twice. It screeched it agony as the burning sensation met its joint, he watched as it bent down and bit its wing, letting its razor sharp teeth dig into the muscle and rip it off. It threw the dismembered wing at him in hopes of causing damage, but he merely rolled out of the way, watching as the large wing skyrocketed past him and uprooted a couple trees before finally disintegrating. It roared and screeched at him in fury before flopping towards him, using its mass to try and crush him.

He had to dive out of the way when it closed the distance in an instant with its jaws open. They snapped shut with a thunderous crack while he rolled out of the way and stood back up. It turned towards him and roared again, letting more droplets spawn more Grimm. The smaller Grimm rushed at him as did the Grimm dragon, dragging its body across the ground. He managed to uppercut a Beowolf that got too close before rushing and diving out of the way when the smaller Grimm were killed by the dragon. Its mere mass killed them but some were caught in its jaws and crushed, splattering their blood all over the ground. He watched as the dragon quickly spun around and began to drag itself across the ground again, using its mass and jaws to continue to try and overwhelm him.

He dove out of the way again, but this time he quickly fished in his bag and brought out one of the explosives. When it lunged at him again, he quickly threw it in its mouth and watched as it snapped shut when it got near him. He dove out of the way like always, but then he started to attack. With both of its wings gone, he equipped his DMR and fired into one of its eyes, rupturing another one and watching as it reared its head back and shrieked. He began to fire at its weaker points and watched as it stumbled a bit. It seemed to know when it took too much damage, because it would spawn a horde of Grimm at him then back off. Whenever he dealt with the horde, he only had a split second to dodge when it came barreling through like a bullet train.

There was a cliff behind him and he let it charge at him once again, this time firing the Binary Rifle at one of its legs and watching it disintegrate. It barreled into the side of the cliff with a thunderous crash, and large boulders fell on it. He had to jump and vault over its tail swipe as he rushed at it, then proceeded to climb on it. Its jaws opened and one of the teeth managed to snag his cloak, making him breath the tooth off with a loud snap, then jam it into one of its eyes. He fished in his bag and grabbed the remaining explosive, jamming it into the wounded eye then throwing it far away, before taking his cloak and throwing it over his shoulders before rushing off. As he ran away from it, he suddenly slid into one of the large trenches it had carved up then pulled out the detonator.

It managed to stagger upwards and gave a loud roar while spawning dozens of Grimm from its torso. They looked around and spotted him while he just pushed the button of the detonator. He ducked down when a large, orange shock wave erupted from the dragon. The explosives in its stomach set off a chain reaction with the first set and both exploded with an orange light. The sound of the explosion could be heard for countless miles and the ground shook from the force of it, he was blown back a bit. Large chunks of the Grimm soared through the sky and the wet sounding chunks of meat impacted the ground. Shortly after, they disintegrated into ash.

He looked around to see a large crater where the dragon used to be and he saw nothing was left from it. The only signs of it was the damage it had caused to the area, but that was it. A small ringing noise was present in his ears for a few minutes and he shook his head to lessen the effects. Two minutes passed by and the ringing was gone while he just dusted himself off and rolled his shoulders, letting out a breath of relief. This had lasted longer than he had actually anticipated, but the deed was done. It was gone from the mountain and the frontier was probably a tad bit safer. His next course of action would probably go to the settlement nearby and check on them.

As he began to walk towards the settlement, he spotted the tooth he had ripped off earlier. It didn't look like it was going to disappear for some reason. He walked up to it and stared at it for a few minutes, thinking as to why it wasn't disappearing before shrugging then picking it up. The walk to the settlement would probably take a while, but that was okay. He wanted to think for a while and walking in the wilderness often helped him do that. To be honest, he didn't know what he would do with this tooth; he'd probably give it to the settlement and they could trade it for lien. There had been a rumor that the funds to the settlements were getting cut, all because of a certain Headmaster.

The man was beginning to run Six's patience thin, very thin. If he was willing to compromise the financial security of the settlements just to get his attention, then he was becoming a problem. People needed income to buy supplies, and they couldn't get those supplies when they had no money. The man was meddling with people's lives, which in turn would get those people killed some day. Some used the lien to pay Huntsmen and Huntresses, while some used it to buy supplies so their settlements could continue to survive. The only reason Six actually took the rewards is to buy supplies; if he didn't get paid then it was no skin off his back. A majority of the time he hunted his own food anyways, the people of the frontier needed lien more than he did.

Ozpin's foolishness is going to cost him, maybe not his death but so much more.

* * *

Six spent the next day and a half walking towards the settlement. He quietly sighed in relief when he saw the same guards wave at him, while he just sent a nod towards them. They looked at him as he dragged the large dragon tooth behind him, it still hadn't disappeared for some reason, but he didn't care. It was beginning to turn into night when and he suspected that the guild would be closing soon. People waved at him, more eagerly than normal while he just sent a curt nod towards them. Some of their jaws seemed to drop a bit when they spotted him dragging the tooth towards the guild. He stepped up the steps and noticed in the window that there were still people inside, just talking to one another.

The bell above chimed and several eyes seemed to glance over at him. Half a second later all of them had to do a double take when he dragged the tooth inside and set it near the door. All the sound in the guild seemed to die as everyone stared at him, their jaws slowly starting to fall towards the ground. He just glanced over all of them before going to the bounty board, seeing some that caught his eye. Maaya just looked at him with slightly widened eyes. He ignored all the stares and plucked three bounties off of the board and set them on the counter, waiting for her to stamp them.

"Six..." She asked.

"Yes?" He asked back.

"What is that?" She pointed at the large tooth.

"A tooth." He answered calmly.

"... What is it from?" She asked.

"A large Grimm." He answered in the same tone.

"It wouldn't happen to be the giant dragon that flew over here, right?" She asked. A part of her hoped that wasn't him who was on it when she looked at the beast. There was a small speck of brown on it when she looked at the giant Grimm, and she really hoped it wasn't Six. By the answers he was giving her, it was.

"It was." He nodded.

"... How did you kill it?" She asked.

"I blew it up." He answered in the same tone. His head turned to see everyone just staring at him in stunned silence. There had been a high alert and they all got ready for an attack when they heard the roar in the distance. Every single one of them in the guild had been terrified when they saw the giant Grimm flying towards their settlement, only to see it shriek in pain and veer off in another direction. In the distance they could hear it shriek numerous times, then shortly after a large explosion that rocked the ground, soon silence followed right after.

"No bounties for you, not until tomorrow or the next day." She crossed her arms.

"..." He didn't try to fight her for it, because he knew it would do no good. She wasn't his superior, and never would be, but she did have the final say in the guild so his only choice was to comply. He wouldn't budge, but he knew she wouldn't let him have any bounties until then.

"I'll save the bounties for you." She sighed.

"Understood." He nodded then let go of them. She put them in a stack then tapped them against the counter and stapled them. As he was walking out the door, he glanced at the tooth then began to leave, only stopping when someone said something.

"You gonna take the tooth?" They asked.

"What for?" He tilted his head, they felt a shudder engulf them.

"You can do loads of things with it; sell it, make some weapons with it, make little trinkets, loads of other things." They said.

"Why is it not disappearing?" He asked. He truly wanted to know why the tooth wasn't disappearing.

"Word is that the older a Grimm gets, the more chance some of their things don't disappear. Their bone armor or whatever that crap is won't disappear along with the rest of them. It usually happens after ten years, but seeing how that thing is probably old as hell, luckily you managed to get that. Stuff like that is worth a treasure." They informed. He stared at them for a few seconds before nodding, dragging the tooth outside and walking down the street. His steps were slow and he eventually came across the weapon's shop. He knew it was closed, but he merely waited by the door for a while.

An hour of standing by the door had passed before Maaya walked up to him. She didn't look too happy at him, more worried than angry but all he did was just look at her.

"You're reckless, you know?" She asked.

"..." He nodded at her and she just sighed.

"You know, it really surprised a few of us when we saw a familiar cloaked person hanging onto that thing. I mean, what were you even thinking?" She stretched her arms out.

"It was a problem, there was no telling what kind of damage it would've caused had it been left unchecked. I apologize if it alarmed you and some of the others, that was not my intention." He said calmly.

"Great... now I look like the bad guy." She sighed.

"Were there any casualties?" He asked.

"No, a few Grimm had came knocking at our doors, but we were ready. You kind of saved us when you steered it away from the settlement. A lot of people were scared when we saw the thing, but some managed to catch a glimpse of you hanging onto it, so it gave us some hope. It's more than what I can do..." She said. He watched as her yellow-gold eyes flashed with concern then slight sadness, and seemed to dim a bit. It wasn't a pleasant sight to look at, he didn't like the crestfallen expression she was displaying. Maybe this would be a good time to increase his skills in comforting people.

"Start smiling more." He said.

"What?" He blinked.

"You are not smiling, it is unusual for you to not smile." He said calmly.

"I'm not smiling because I'm stressed, you big oaf." She said.

"If insulting me makes you feel better, then proceed to do it." He said.

"Now I don't want to smile now!" She puffed her cheeks and flailed her arms up and down..

"I see, I apologize then." He said in the same tone.

"Why do you want me smiling anyways?" She asked after a minute of silence.

"It is an odd sight to not see you smile. Despite you thinking people look down upon you, they don't. You're part of the reason people feel good and safe. Your presence alone is enough to make them feel determined. Just because you're not out there doesn't mean you're not helping people." He said.

"That was oddly comforting." She smiled.

"There, you smiled. Keep smiling." He said.

"For someone who barely displays any emotion, you sure know how to comfort people." She laughed softly.

"That was my first attempt, it was mediocre at best." He said. That was his actual opinion, his social skills were atrocious, he had never been a people person. Really his only interaction with people was nothing short of professional, getting right to the point then leaving. Maaya was the only one he could really talk to, or rather listen, and feel a small sense of ease. There was also Myne and her family, and Ren and Nora too. So to say his people skills were completely atrocious was a slight exaggeration. It was just that he he would rather be alone than with people, it's just how he was. He wasn't like Jorge, who he learned a bit of social interaction from.

"Hey, Six." She called out.

"Yes?" He asked.

"What's out there?" She asked as she stepped down the steps and onto the sidewalk, him following shortly after. The guild had closed later due to a party being held; it wasn't anything special, just a small party for a member. She had decided to stay to help out.

"There are other settlements, Grimm, wildlife, and other locations." He answered truthfully.

"I'd like to see some of that." She said as they walked.

"... One day I will take you out there." He said.

"You don't have to, I can probably just arrange it someday. I just don't know when." She sighed.

"I see..." He said. There was a possibility he would someday, maybe not anytime soon, but someday. Maybe a little bit of human interaction would do him some good when he was out there. If Ren and Nora were nearby, then he would possibly consider taking them for a certain amount of time then continuing his mission. His thoughts began to conflict a bit; he was leaning more towards finishing his mission, but a microscopic part of him felt it would be necessary to take the two out and teach them more.

"What are you going to do with the tooth?" She asked.

"Give it to the settlement." He answered instantly.

"You're not planning on doing anything with it?" She blinked in surprise.

"No." He answered curtly.

"I think you could make a items. Pass them onto those two children you've taken a liking to." She said. It still brought a smile to her face when he showed a small amount of affection to those two kids. Despite him having a cold persona, he was capable of showing a little bit of warmth. He was capable of having emotions, he just didn't really display it all that well.

"... Noted." He nodded after some thought. He'd probably make a few knives then let the settlement have the rest of the tooth, bring in a hefty amount of income just in case there was a sudden drop of lien. Ultimately, he didn't care what happened to the tooth. By the next few days to probably a week everyone would know he killed the dragon, word seemed to spread fast whenever he was in town, and at this point he didn't care. He listened to her vent about her problems and nodded at each one. It didn't bother him too much to listen to her vent, it was slightly comforting in a sense. She had a friend she could talk to without being judged and her mere presence was enough to keep him calm. For the most part, she did the talking while he just listened carefully.

They had talked for a while, much longer than he had expected, but it wasn't an unwelcome feeling. He watched as she bid him farewell and smiled at him brightly, like it was staring into a bright light that was able to banish any darkness. He nodded in farewell before watching her enter her apartment. The street was empty at this time and he released a small breath before heading back down to the weapon's shop. Tomorrow he'd visit Myne and her family, do some bounties, and help out around the settlement. It kept him busy and gave him enough comfort before he headed to the facility.

He was back in his territory and the threat was gone for now.

* * *

**Hi everyone, we're back again... obviously. I uh... I don't think I'll answer reviews this chapter unfortunately. Next chapter I'll answer whatever questions you have for this chapter, though. I'm really sorry about this guys, but I'm really not feeling so good. No, I'm not sick, I'm just not feeling like myself lately. It's more along the lines of confusion at the series of current events; it's like I have this flurry of negative emotions festering in my mind right now. I don't know whether to laugh, cry, scream in anger, or just push it all down like I always do... I'm confused. It's basically why this chapter is so long, just felt like writing a bit, I guess. Don't worry about reviews guys, I read every single one of them, I just can't answer them this chapter.**

**I'm sorry if this isn't up to your standards now, and I'm sorry for apologizing but that's just how I am. Some of you were conflicted about last chapter, I understand, I may have gotten a little carried away I guess... I don't know. If this chapter isn't up to par, then oh well. I'm tired, it's not even me being physically tired anymore. Anyways, I don't have much to say other than please don't argue in the review section, I recently saw a guest being negative for no reason and starting shit. Just don't... please.**

**Anyways, see you guys and gals later. Bye, everyone...**


	16. Chapter 16: Conflict within the mind

The next morning he dropped the tooth off and started to run some errands. His first stop was the guild to retrieve his bounties, but was denied them since Maaya deemed his night's rest as not enough actual rest, then pick up some ammunition. The old man had greeted him with open arms, as usual, and gave Six his ammunition. He had stated that heard how the Spartan killed the Grimm and gave them some breathing room, for that he thanked him. Six nodded and left shortly after, bidding the older man a farewell then went to the family's house. It took several minutes to actually get there, but he did see them pack their wagon. He saw their eyes brighten considerably and they gave him a friendly wave, to which he nodded then walked up to them.

"What brings you in town, not that it's not a welcoming sight." The father asked.

"I came to check up on the status of everybody. Were you all injured?" Six asked.

"Us? No, a little shaken from seeing such a large Grimm, but otherwise we're fine." The father said.

"Good. Where are you all headed?" Six asked.

"We're going to collect some supplies, mostly fruits and other things. You want to come?" The father asked.

"..." Six nodded after a few seconds. He walked alongside them and listened to them discuss what had been happening in the recent months. Needless to say, the family was doing well. The father had completed a few bounties and earned some extra income for his family, while the mother was a seamstress who worked hard. Both the parents usually worked harder than some of the others in the settlement and they always put their children first. They often went above and beyond for their girls and raised them to the best of their ability. Both of them were good people, ones that deserve more recognition than what they received. He knew they knew about some of his deeds, such as killing bandits and other unsavory individuals, but they weren't bothered that much. Never had they seen him make any threatening gesture towards civilians. To them, he was a good example of what a Huntsman or Huntress should be, not like half of them they've encountered in the past.

Despite them knowing him for years, they were genuinely concerned about his demeanor sometimes. They noticed how he always tensed up whenever someone got close to him or approached him, or how his attention would snap to a foreign sound instantly. It was like he was always searching for threats, really they were some of the only people he wasn't tense around. They noticed little things like how his tone shifted from calm and relaxed to cold and defensive whenever he met a new person. Sometimes they saw him as a wild animal that was constantly looking out for its survival, which in reality he was. It didn't matter though, they knew he meant well despite some of the actions he would or had taken. Deep down, they knew he was just quiet. Silence was what he was known for in the settlement.

Myne and her sister were still asleep in the wagon, wrapped up in a multitude of blankets that was made by their mother. She had began to talk about how she was learning different recipes for Myne, claiming that each one working a little better. As opposed to getting sick nearly every day, she only got sick every few weeks to months, which was an improvement in the eyes of the family. While they were still poor, it was evident that they were improving what little they had. It just meant everything they owned through hard work was seen as precious in their eyes. If the word humble was a group of people, the family would be the personification of it. To him, they were good people.

When asked what he had been up to, he merely stated that he had been traveling. He knew they meant no harm and were only curious about his travels, but he merely gave them the details of some of his travels. Nothing that pertained to him visiting the facilities or going to the city, but merely things they knew already; different settlements, undiscovered locations, ruins, etc. He traveled a lot, and would continue to do so until he got the entire Installation underneath the Monitor's control. From then on, he'd keep his focus on contacting the UNSC in hopes they would eventually reach his signal. He let his thoughts run about the UNSC, how much had probably changed since he was last in contact with them. These thoughts just clouded his mind as they walked throughout the settlement, and eventually exited it.

"Hey..." The mother reached over the edge of the wagon and pulled on his cloak; effectively getting his attention.

"..." He nodded in her direction, indicating he was listening.

"We never got the chance to truly thank you, for saving us I mean." She said.

"It is not a problem." He said.

"We mean both with the Grimm and saving us from the snow. Myne had told us how you pulled us out of the snow. We would've frozen to death if you hadn't pulled us out. While we were a little embarrassed you practically changed our clothes, we do appreciate you doing so." The father said.

"As I have stated before, it is not a problem." Six stated calmly. Compared to others, his tone was a degree warmer than what it usually was. The father knew that Six was had a good relationship with the guild girl, he had heard how she always seemed to light up whenever the quiet man had dropped by.

"We know that you'll probably deny it, but we feel like inviting you to dinner. We'll probably have extras tonight, so we don't mind sharing." The mother said. He went quiet for several minutes and just let his thoughts mull over. That strange feeling bubbled up in his system again; the feeling of when someone actually wanted him around. It bothered him somewhat; sure he had been invited to things when he was younger, but that was twenty years ago, back when he was still training. Twenty long years of doing things by himself voluntarily made him grow used to it. Really the only time he spent time with people is when he was assigned to them or was practically ordered to, otherwise he did everything by himself.

"I will." He nodded.

"You will?" They blinked in surprise.

"I have been denied my bounties until tomorrow. Maaya had claimed that a single night of rest is not enough. She had stated that human interaction besides her would be advantageous for me." He answered curtly.

"Who's Maaya?" The mother asked.

"The receptionist at the guild, you may know her as the one who is always talking to guild members." He answered.

"Oh! The brown-haired one." She remembered. She remembered how Maaya would constantly keep the bounty for Myne's rescue up on the board, refusing to give up hope until someone found her. This lasted months on end before Six finally arrived and searched for their daughter, bringing her home safe and sound. For that, she was in eternal gratitude towards both the Spartan and the guild girl.

"Real nice young lady, I can tell she gets along with a lot of people." The father said.

"How would you know?" His wife asked.

"If she's managed to make Six her friend, then she's clearly good with people. No offense to you of course." The father said to the Spartan.

"None taken." Six said calmly. He walked alongside them in silence as they kept up the conversation, they knew he didn't like talking about himself too much so they left out any personal questions. If anything, they were some of the only people that seemed to build up to gain entry of his wall of distrust. Like Maaya, they knew when to back off and were willing to accept the boundaries he had vaguely set up, never questioning about his life or what he did. They truly did care about his well being and it bothered him slightly, he still wasn't used to people caring about him this much. While he wouldn't say it was unpleasant, it did make him feel odd sometimes that people actually thought about him.

After a while of walking along the path, Six took a hold of the handles and let the father rest a bit. It was clear the man was used to this seeing how he's done it so often, but even he needed a rest after a while. Six just silently dragged the wagon along the path and eventually stopped when they reached a small clearing; he saw the parents walk up to a tree with cherries on it and began to pick them. While he observed them pick the fruit, he kept watch for any Grimm in the area. He was alert seeing how there were civilians in the area and an unknown threat possibly lurking about.

Several minutes passed by and they finished collecting some of the fruit. They noticed how he kept a vigilant eye over them, scanning the area for any Grimm or bandits that could prey on them. The latter seemed unlikely though, after he eliminated the bandit group years ago and scared them stiff, not a single attack has happened since. Despite the violence behind his good intentions, he truly gave the settlement a lot of breathing room. They smiled at his vigilant attitude and got back on the wagon as he grabbed the handles and started to drag it along the path again. His pace wasn't slow, but it wasn't necessarily fast either. It was more along the lines of a controlled pace that gave them a chance to enjoy the surrounding area.

Birds chirped in the trees and the sun was shining above them, basking them in a comfortable warmth. The day started to get warmer as time passed and they spent a majority of the morning collecting fruits and some herbs. He had learned that they collected the fruits and would trade a majority of them at the market for a good price, it was to be expected since they knew when the best time was for harvest. They often put the lien they earned in a chest in case something went wrong and they needed to dip into it; it was essentially their savings chest. Should something happen to them, then all the lien would go to their daughters. He nodded when they told him this and saw it as a worthy investment. It was clear they were smart about their current situation with money and spent it accordingly.

By the time noon hit, they were starting to head back to the settlement. The wagon was full of baskets that held fruits, some vegetables, herbs, and some other items they could use. Normally, it would take both parents countless hours to drag the wagon full of items back to the settlement due to the weight, but with Six it only took half an hour at max. It helped that Six constantly conditioned himself with a variety of different ways. Any free time he had was spent either strengthening his body or his mind. His augmentations certainly helped his natural strength, which in turn made him stronger than most. Dragging a wagon full of supplies wasn't that big of a deal to him, it was comforting in a sense.

All of them entered the settlement and the parents waved to people while Six just nodded in greeting. The walk to the market took some time, but he merely enjoyed the slight ease it put his mind in. Although he didn't mind being around people, he did tense up at the sudden rush of the crowd. It was second nature to him to be on alert at times like these. He watched as the parents interacted with countless vendors, often smiling with them before making a trade. Both of them were well known in the market district and usually gave their goods at a fair price. He silently observed their exchange and waited patiently as they talked with some of the vendors. This didn't bother him in the slightest, the crowd unnerved him, but he pushed the feeling down.

Several minutes passed by and the series of exchanges was done. He grabbed the handles and waited for the parents to climb on the wagon, placing the items they had purchased and the stack of lien next to them. People moved out of the way when he started to walk, in some cases he had to wait patiently, but he started to walk towards the house. The day was relaxing in a way, much more than he'd like to admit, but it did put his mind at ease somewhat. The trip from the market to their house took several minutes, but he didn't care in the slightest. Once he was done helping them with bringing the items in the house, he would continue to do some errands... maybe help out some others in the meantime.

When he arrived at the front of their house, he waited for them to pick up the girls and unlock the door, entering it shortly after. From that point on, he began to grab the bags and small boxes full of supplies. For the most part, he just helped them load their supplies in their house. It took several minutes to actually put everything away, but he told them he needed to run some errands and probably help others out. The two of them smiled and nodded in understanding before telling him what time he could come back for dinner, then watched as he left the house and walked towards the weapon smith.

It was around one in the afternoon and everyone was out and about, displaying several degrees of positive emotions. It seemed that terminating the Grimm dragon had managed to boost morale around the settlement, which to him was beneficial. Seeing how Grimm were attracted to negative emotions, this meant that there was less likely of a chance of another Grimm attack. He shook his head a bit and dismissed these thoughts, just because there was less likely of an attack, didn't mean another one couldn't happen another day. Dismissing the thoughts from his head, he entered the building and saw the large tooth near the door, where the old man was staring at it.

The bell above the door rung and captured the man's attention. Despite being an older gentleman, he was still muscular in a sense. Years of working in this profession had given him the physic that he held now. His white beard seemed to dip down into his chest and he had to tie it with some cloth to make it more manageable. His hands were calloused from making so many items over the years and he had a few scars on his body from mishaps, but that didn't stop him. He was an asshole to some of his employees, but that just added to his charm in a sense. Most people in the settlement knew about his colorful language. His right eye was always closed for some reason, but Six wasn't one to pry into people's lives.

"I'd usually come up with some witty ass remark, but I have nothing to say. What can I do you for today?" The man asked, fixing his apron and adjusting his gloves.

"I need more throwing knives." Six answered.

"Again? When you gonna actually start retrieving the knives instead of keep losing them?" The man asked.

"..." Six said nothing and just stared.

"You and that damn silence. Fine, I'll make your damn knives, at least they're cheap so there's that. By the way, what do you want to do with this tooth?" The man asked as he stared at the colossal tooth, it just barely fit through the door and was at least a foot taller than Six.

"... Four knife handles. Three of them survival and the last one Mistralian. If you could put this design on it, I would be grateful." Six answered evenly as he brought out a piece of paper from his cloak and drew a design. He had learned over the years that some Remnant blades shared the same design as some from Earth and her colonies.

"No blade? Just the handle?" The man asked.

"..." Six just nodded and watched the man shake his head.

"You're the only person to make such odd requests. Alright, I'll get your damn throwing knives and make those knife handles. Now get outta here, ya big golem." The older man gestured. There was no heat behind his words, it was just friendly banter.

Six just nodded and watched as the older man break a piece off of the tooth carefully, taking what he needed then began to get to work. He grabbed the tooth and started to drag it outside, towards another building. People watched him drag the tooth around while he just ignored the stares and entered another building, one that was known for making trinkets. He nodded in greeting to the worker behind the counter and put in his order, which required a small piece of the tooth. Careful measurements were taken like before and the piece was cut off gently. He nodded when his items were to be done in four days, which didn't bother him too much.

The tooth was then dragged back outside before he picked it up and carried it over his right shoulder, using his left hand to balance it. It had some weight to it, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He had decided to give the rest of it to the guild and leave it for them to decide what to do with it. His business with it was done. The least he could do was give it out of generosity.

There was still a few hours to kill before he had to attend to that dinner. It still felt weird to have people that wanted him around, maybe isolation was toying with his mind...

* * *

The best way he kept himself busy and killed time was to do several tasks. He had decided helping out around the settlement was the perfect way to achieve both of those things, and it was productive on top of that. Countless people thanked him when he helped them carry heavy boxes, sort out medical supplies and carry them to the clinic, patrol around the area, or just settle little conflicts. He didn't do these things for a reward, but merely just to do it because he was bored and he kept getting denied the bounties he wanted. Despite his cold and apathetic demeanor, people did see that he meant well. Some noticed that he seemed... distant in a sense, like being around new people put him on edge. Most were quick to learn that he didn't like being in large crowds or being swarmed by many. It put him on alert and the last thing they wanted was him on the defensive, especially since he was welcome in the settlement anytime.

Some of the younger, and even some of the older, inhabitants of the settlement viewed him as a hero; often going to the guild to listen to stories about him. He was literally a living legend within the current settlement and several others, something he didn't care about too much. Despite telling people that he wasn't a hero, they still viewed him as one. Over the years he just went along with their words and ignored it. If they wanted to view him as a hero, then fine; if not, then oh well. Things like this didn't bother him too much. All that mattered was that he ensured their survival, it was his duty to ensure at least that.

By the time six in the evening struck, he had begun to make his way back to the family's house. The sky started to darken slowly and his trip to the house barely took any time at all. Several minutes passed by and he stepped up to the front door, knocking on it three times and waiting for it to open. He was greeted by the mother and ushered inside, seeing the place look a bit nicer and food on the stove. The sound of tiny feet met his ears and he saw Myne and her sister rush at him with wide smiles. Both of them had crashed into his legs and wrapped their arms around them, looking up at him brightly. He had tensed up slightly like always, but relaxed after a few seconds. They were pried off and sat at the dinner table while he just took his cloak off.

It was set on the coat rack and his weapons were put out of reach of the girls, his bag was also placed in a secure spot and away from them. The last thing he needed was for two children to play with dangerous firearms, he wouldn't have two unnecessary deaths, especially if he could've prevented it. A chair was pushed towards him, but he had to refuse politely. He didn't feel like breaking one of their chairs because it couldn't support his weight, so he opted to sit in the living room on the ground. The other four of them merely went by him and started to eat before turning on the TV.

His hands went to his helmet and he hesitated for a few minutes, weighing his options of taking it off. How long had it been since someone's actually seen his face? Twelve years, possibly longer seeing how he never really showed it to anyone. Granted, Myne had seen his face when she was an infant, but she was too young to remember that. It had been so long since he's actually had someone see his actual face, that the thought unnerved him slightly. A few deep, calming breaths were taken before he slowly took off his helmet and set it on the ground. He could feel their eyes on him and his unnerved state grew, but he pushed the feeling down. As time passed, so did the feeling. After a few minutes it was completely gone.

"Wow! You have really long hair!" Myne beamed.

"..." He looked at her calmly. No matter how much he cut his hair, it always grew and covered his eyes a bit. It didn't deter him like it would some, but it was more tedious to constantly cut it so often. The longest his haircut usually lasted was about a month, then it grew like weeds.

"You're a lot younger looking than I imagined." The father said.

"You expected me to be older?" Six asked.

"Meh." The father shrugged a bit.

"I see..." Six said as he looked at the television. At this point in time, he was only thirty-two years old, almost thirty-three. He was still in good shape due to always exercising on a daily basis, but a part of him wondered when his time would start to come. A part of him always wondered how old Spartans could actually get, but he brushed those thoughts away for another time.

The parents looked at one another and when they saw his eyes, they couldn't help but flinch slightly. His eyes were so distant, much more than his personality. It was like he was in a constant state of awareness and never truly learned to settle down. To them, his eyes held thousands of stories and a majority of them of loss. Nothing needed to be said because they could finally see it; how much pain he seemed to accumulate over time. It would be rude of them to ask questions like some type of therapist, if Six wasn't willing to talk about himself, then they'd leave it at that. They were just glad he finally opened up a little bit, even if it wasn't much. Neither of them needed to know where he came from, what he went through, or what he actually was, they were just glad he was here.

They all had decided to watch the recordings of the Vytal festival fights. Despite his little extermination of the White Fang, the festival still continued on. All of them spent the next hour and a half watching the fights and eating supper. His particular interest was when he saw Ren and Nora and their team fight, they seemed to be doing well. He could tell that the Arc boy had improved upon his leadership a bit, the only thing that struck a nerve was when they decided to stop fighting because an argument happened. It wasn't a major argument, but more along the lines of teasing one another while the enemy just waited. This was a problem, not every enemy would be as merciful as their opponents. The Grimm didn't care if there was a disagreement, and neither would other individuals.

To him, they wasted valuable time just joking around. Other than that, he saw that they had improved themselves. There was always room for improvement though, they were still adequate in his eyes. After their fight was over, he watched as they climbed up the ladder and eventually some of the final contestants were Nora and Ren vs the girl with black hair girl and the blonde one on Ruby's team. He watched as the black-haired girl said something and saw Nora and Ren's expressions turn dark, darker than most were comfortable with. They attacked the girl viciously and he watched them lose control for a moment, almost killing the girl. Many didn't see it, but he saw a mixture of guilt and resentment in their eyes as the girl was rolled off. The next round started shortly after.

"..." He didn't say anything and just watched the rest in silence. The family were enthralled by the display of the Huntsmen and Huntresses in training, but he wasn't. He saw too many errors in their fighting style, the lack of acknowledgement of their surroundings, and the inflated ego some displayed. In conclusion, he wasn't impressed in the slightest. Only Ren and Nora's team seemed to take these three factors into account, if only a little. The amount of sheer destructive power some of these students displayed brought up several red flags. If they were to continue being reckless with their attacks then it would result in the deaths of countless innocent people in their careers.

It's another reason he didn't teach at any academies. He didn't care about Huntsmen and Huntresses, nor did he care about teaching future generations. His mission was to get the Installation underneath the Monitor's control, eliminate this woman, contact the UNSC, and ensure the survival of humanity. He didn't have time to toy around with the Academies nor their shenanigans. If they couldn't deal with their own problems then that was on them, he wasn't some savior or a hero. Someone needed to keep an eye on the settlements in the frontier and he was more comfortable with that while focusing on his mission. It was an odd combination, but one that suited his needs perfectly.

Night started to roll around and he put his helmet on. He rotated his head a bit before standing up and grabbing his weapons, putting them on his back before grabbing his cloak and bag. They were slung over his shoulders and he stood by the door as the family waved at him. He nodded in farewell before walking out of the door and towards the exit of the settlement. It would be a few days before the knife handles were done and so were his items he requested. In the meantime, he could stand guard at the gate or patrol around the settlement. There were numerous things to do, he would rest later on.

As he walked down the sidewalk, he saw that some decorations were being set up. People waved at him while he just nodded at them then continued to walk down the long sidewalk. The houses started to look slightly better as he approached the richer area of the settlement. As time passed, he stopped and looked at the moon for a few minutes then turned back. His steps were slow and methodical, but each one seemed to be as silent as a phantom. It always unnerved people when he would be right behind them without actually hearing him. His thoughts began to mull over and he took his hood down, letting everyone see his helmet.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice Maaya approaching him, until she stopped in front of him. Her eyes widened at the sight of his helmet but she brushed it aside and smiled at him.

"You know, when I said take it easy, I didn't mean push yourself to help everyone in the settlement." She quipped.

"That is my way of taking it easy." He said. She rolled her eyes and began to walk to her apartment complex, him walking next to her.

"You know, this is the first time I've seen you without your hood?" She looked at him.

"So it would seem. Why are you out so late?" He asked.

"We're setting up a celebration. I think this is going to be a yearly thing from now on." She answered.

"For what?" He asked.

"You killing that dragon. You may have not noticed it, but people are happy now, much happier than what we usually are. Your intervention from getting that thing away and taking care of it sparked hope in a lot of people. We appreciate your efforts in helping us when no one else would. More people want to get out more and do more because of you. You inspire a lot of us despite not saying you do." She explained.

"I see..." He said quietly.

"Some people are calling you the frontier's kindest." She giggled.

"I don't see why." He said bluntly.

"Despite your blunt, sometimes cold, tone to everything... you are a kind person underneath. People look up to you and often think about you whenever they feel hopeless. That enough gives them the strength they need to get by. I don't know if you noticed, but your term of keeping busy is helping people despite no reward, regardless of how trivial it is. People tend to remember those actions." She said.

"Hmm." He hummed calmly.

"I do wish you would talk more though, it's enjoyable talking to you." She said.

"I will improve upon it." He said curtly.

"I'm sure you will. Oh! Before I forget, here are your bounties." She remembered as she reached in her bag and brought out his bounties. He wordlessly took them and looked at them carefully before rolling them up and setting them in his bag.

"Thank you." He nodded and continued to walk next to her. Like always, he listened to her talk about her day and how she was excited for this new festival they were going to create. It was a pleasant sight to look at whenever she was happy, smiling and radiating a comforting aura. To him, his mind was put at a sense of ease whenever she was around and he enjoyed being around her. She was one of the only people that he granted entry to his wall of distrust. The family was another set of people. Ren and Nora were the final set. They looked up to him too much though, often seeking his approval rather than learning; he didn't want that. He wanted them to carve their own path rather than follow the one he already paved. Them following his footsteps in wandering around Remnant like he was, was doing enough. Neither of them needed to be carbon copies of him.

"So who were those children you knew?" She asked.

"What children?" He looked at her.

"Don't play coy with me, Six. I'm talking about the children that looked up to you so much and never stopped talking about you." She answered.

"... The black haired boy with the pink streak is Ren. The girl with orange hair is Nora. Their teammates I do not know aside from their names." He answered after a few moments of silence.

"They seem like nice kids. Inexperienced, but have good intentions. It's those kinds of kids that usually do the best in the world." She complimented.

"Indeed..." He nodded. She was right in that regard. Both of them wanted to truly do good in the world despite the state of chaos it was in. They understood that some people needed to be taken out of the picture to protect the innocent. Although he didn't say it, he knew that they had come up with the realization over the years. He could see it in their eyes.

He listened to Maaya talk some more about life around the settlement. It was one of the few topics she was passionate about and often got carried away, until he had to reign her back a bit. He understood why though, this was her home, one that she had grown to love but wanted to see more in life. Although she didn't say it, he saw that she was starting to become discontent with how her life was turning out. Things like this usually flew over other people's heads, but not his. He paid attention to her and observed how she was. She wanted out, wanted to see the world and see what else was out there besides her little frontier town.

Maybe after he got this last facility up and running, he would take her somewhere. After all she had done for him; be there for him, not disclose any information about him, always wanted what was best for him without pushing her limits, and etc. He felt obligated to do something for her. It was only fair. Some time had passed and he eventually reached the front of her apartment, listening to her talk some more and claiming it wasn't an issue to listen to her. It really wasn't an issue listening to her. He enjoyed being around her and she did too.

"Thanks for listening like always." She smiled.

"It is not a problem." He said evenly.

"Again, thanks. Goodnight." She said.

"Goodnight." He nodded and watched as she smiled one last time before heading inside. His body turned and started to run on autopilot as he headed towards the exit of the settlement. There were four bounties he had finally acquired and was slightly eager to do, from that point on he would do them and collect his requested items. It filled his body with a sense of ease when he got his objectives done. His social interaction skills were increasing slightly. Granted, he still preferred solitude ninety percent of the time, but at least he was able to enjoy some interaction with others. He still had a problem with opening up to people though, that part would never leave him. The only reason he actually talked to Maaya and the family was because they spent years trying with him, slowly building up a bridge of trust through hard work.

Ren and Nora wanted that, he could see it in their eyes when they last encountered him. They wanted their bond with him to grow a bit, and that didn't bother him too much. The people of the settlements often viewed him as a good person and were content with keeping a friendly, professional relationship. The Monitor was an ally, one that he did not completely trust as of now, but she was also starting to build up a bridge of trust with him. Everyone else though... there was nothing but distrust for them. He didn't care about them, their shenanigans, or who they were. If they were a threat then he would eliminate them with no mercy, regardless of who they were.

Ozpin was starting to become an enemy slowly. His actions were causing more harm than anything in order to get his attention. It did get his attention, just not in a positive light. Pretty soon that light would be completely snuffed out and from that point on Ozpin was a threat that needed to be dealt with accordingly. The same could be said about Ironwood. Killing the General would bring about several negative effects that presented future problems, but that didn't mean breaking him wasn't an option.

Six wanted to be left alone and continue his mission, and he'd do anything to ensure that.

* * *

It took five days to complete the bounties, and he returned late in the evening. Each bounty got progressively harder than the last, but the Grimm were finally vacant of the area and the settlement had more breathing room. His first stop was to stop by the weapon smith to collect the handles. The older man complained how he took too long but there was no heat to his words, a friendly gesture to Six. He had wrapped the handles in a cloth and pushed it over the counter, letting the Spartan unwrap the cloth and inspect them. Three survival knives made of the tooth from the Grimm, and the final one was a kukri handle. Near the middle of the handle was the Noble Team symbol. It was his way to immortalize them in a sense.

His fingers brushed over handles gently and he wrapped the cloth around them, nodding in thanks to the man for making them and paying. He walked out shortly after and made his way to the other store, where the items he requested were ready. There were a few people inside talking to the man and he waited patiently; while he would like to just go in there and retrieve his items, it seemed the man was rather busy. It wasn't any trouble though, this just gave him all the more reason inspect the handles some more. The sheaths could be handled when he got back to the facility, since it wasn't any trouble to have the Monitor craft him one.

The people in the store stepped out and stared at him before walking off. He just watched the leave with slightly narrowed eyes before entering the store, looking at the man perk up a bit. He seemed rather ecstatic to see Six make his appearance and quickly rushed off to the back before retrieving a box. It was pushed towards Six and he opened it slowly, seeing eight wolf head pendants. Each one still had traces of the Grimm tooth in it, but it was encased in a light layer of metal. He inspected it, seeing each one staring at the wearer. His thumb brushed over it and inspected it before placing it back in the box then closing it.

The man seemed proud of his achievement and merely dismissed Six when he tried to pay for it. He claimed that saving the settlement was payment enough and he was proud to have crafted such a exotic item. Six just nodded in appreciation and closed the box before placing it inside of his bag, walking to the door and leaving shortly after. Now that he finally had them, he could give them to the people he had formed a sort of companionship with then leave. The next facility was on the island known as Patch, so getting a ship to there was probably the biggest obstacle. After that, all the facilities in Vale would be underneath the Monitor's control and he could continue to the next continent.

As he walked along the sidewalk, he noticed the countless decorations and people walking in the sidewalk. Some waved at him before continuing their own thing, he just stared at all of it before continuing to walk. He headed towards the family's house but stopped when he saw them on the sidewalk, heading towards town square. They had cleaned up a bit and looked their best; even they couldn't resist heading out. He brushed through people carefully and eventually made his way towards them, finally spotting them stop at a fountain in the center. When they spotted him, he saw their eyes light up brightly as he approached.

"What brings you here?" The father asked.

"I have come to give you all something before I depart." Six answered.

"You're not staying for the festival?" The mother asked.

"I'm afraid not." He answered, noticing the light in their eyes dim a bit. Nothing else was said as he bent down and set his bag near the fountain, fishing inside of it to grab the box. They watched as he set the box on the fountain and opened it, revealing several wolf head pendants. He grabbed one and put it around each of their necks carefully. A look of confusion adorned their faces and he started to explain.

"It is a gift from me to you. Your hospitality has been noted and I feel obligated to give you all something." He said evenly.

"You don't have to do anything, we'll always welcome you to our home." The mother said.

"Are you going to come back?" Myne asked.

"I will possibly return one day. That day is undetermined though." He answered as he bent down to her level.

"We'll miss you." Her sister said.

"Noted. As will I." He said, awkwardly setting his hands on their heads before standing up to his full height. They waved him goodbye and he looked over his shoulder before sending them a curt nod, then disappearing into the crowd. He sighed quietly as he started to walk through the bustling crowd of people, feeling a sense of unease build up in his system. His pace started to quicken a bit and he saw that the crowd was beginning to thin out a bit as he got further away from town square. After a few minutes of walking, he finally reached the guild. Nobody was inside, except Maaya. She was at the her usual spot doing paperwork calmly.

The door opened and she perked up at someone actually entering today, despite the festival taking place today. She wasn't wearing her usual work clothes and had decided to wear something more casual. Just a simple white blouse shirt and a brown skirt with leggings that went up to her thighs. He nodded when she smiled at him and stopped in front of the counter, standing there calmly.

"If you're here to pick up bounties, then I'm afraid you can't. The guild is closed today." She said.

"I am not here to pick up any bounties. I am here to give you something." He said calmly as he set his bag down and open it.

"Oh?" She blinked in surprise. That statement actually made her stop in her tracks and stare at him. Although she barely knew his story and probably wouldn't for the rest of her life, she knew he wasn't one to give people things. The only thing he really gave people was medicine and lien, sometimes food if they had nothing to eat. She watched as he pulled out a box from his bag and set it on the counter. He opened it and brought out a pendant, gesturing her to lean forward. When she did, he put it around her neck and closed the box before putting it back into his bag.

A smile adorned her face as she inspected the gift with gentleness and tucked it underneath her shirt. Maybe this was a sign he was finally opening up to people.

"Thank you. Does this mean you're opening up to people?" She asked.

"No." He answered quickly, a little too quickly.

"Oh." She sighed. He was still the same old Six that she had known for years; straight to the point, no nonsense, quiet, and distrustful of everyone.

"Goodbye." He said as he picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder, walking out of the door.

"Wait!" She cried out, making him stop and look at her. "Do you want to watch the lanterns rise with me?" She asked. It went quiet for a while as he just stared at her for a few minutes before nodding slowly. While he would've liked to leave as soon as possible, staying another few minutes wouldn't hurt, especially if getting to Patch would probably take months of walking.

Her eyes lit up and she quickly finished up her paperwork before heading towards the door. Both of them stepped outside and he watched as she locked the door before walking next to her down the street. Decorations lit up the street and people had looked their best for the night. Both of them walked for a while in comfortable silence and before they knew it, countless lanterns started to float up into the sky. Over a hundred lanterns floated up and reflected off of his black visor, he watched them with a flat expression and looked around to see nearly everyone watch with admiration and awe. He didn't understand the point of this, but everyone was relaxed and happy; enough positive emotions to keep the Grimm away. This just meant his job was done and he could leave.

"Goodbye." He said to her.

"Goodbye. I'll see you next time, whenever that is." She said.

"..." He nodded and watched her expression fall a bit at his departure. His body turned around and started to brush past the crowd, slowly disappearing as the space between him and her was filled with people.

Eventually after a few minutes, she saw him put his hood up and finally disappear into the night. While it did pain her to see him go, she understood his reason. He was never one to stay for celebrations, preferring to get his work done and move onto the next task. A part of her wondered why he was like that, never one that was content with staying in one place for long. Perhaps she would never know and that didn't bother her. She watched as he was gone into the night like a phantom. She'd take him up on that offer to travel with him one day; it would be nice to see what it's like in Remnant and beyond.

* * *

He walked into the night, seeing the lanterns high in the sky with a soft glow. It was his time to leave, to continue his mission and keep his focus on that. Visiting the place he enjoyed being in put his mind at ease, something he needed. On his way to patch, he'd visit the other ones to check up on their status before leaving shortly after. Now that his focus was back on his mission, he could continue like always. His wall of distrust was thrown up again as soon as he exited the settlement. A part of him was cautious to open up, it had been so long since he's actually done it that the feeling was foreign. The last time he opened up, people that he had grown fond of had died. Noble Team was one example; different aspects of each member had different effects. He missed them, which was odd to say.

Carter's leadership, Kat's sardonic and dry sense of humor, Jun's patience, Emile's cynical attitude, and Jorge's comforting aura that he displayed. They were possibly the first people he truly felt guilty about letting die. While he knew war didn't discriminate, it still pained him to witness each one of their deaths with his own eyes, with the exception of Jun. He didn't know if the Spartan was alive or not. A part of him was cautious about feeling human again after closing himself off from his emotions. While it was highly unlikely that he would have a breakdown, or do something drastic, it certainly wouldn't be out of the question for him to feel conflicted. Part of him didn't want to feel human; it was almost as if feeling like a machine suited him better.

Maaya is possibly the first non-UNSC individual that made him feel human again. Although she didn't crack his wall he threw up, she did build up to the entryway and make him feel like he mattered. That made him feel uneasy, to feel valuable in the eyes of someone other than the UNSC. The way he viewed himself was expendable, someone who could be written off as easy as another casualty. It's the way he was groomed and what countless people had told him before, ever since he was a child. Years of that the same thing being said to him warped his viewpoint about himself. It was why he was so indifferent towards people in general and felt a detachment towards them. Feeling indifferent towards people and basking in solitude was what put him at ease a majority of the time. He'd never change in that aspect... ever.

His thoughts were interrupted when a sound made him look forward, tensing his body and bringing out his DMR. He aimed at the spot where the noise originated from and waited patiently, an unknown blip appeared on his motion tracker and it slowly came forward. His weapon lowered as he watched a black wolf come out of the brush and stare at him. It's orange eyes stared into his black visor and the two stared at one another. Silence seemed to be the only thing in the air as they continued to look at one another calmly. There wasn't any other wolf in the area, it was just the one in front of him. From his perspective, it looked like it had been alone for countless years... like him. Its eyes held nothing but distrust as did his, and pretty soon it sat down to continue to stare at him.

Some time had passed before it stood back up and began to walk towards him. He did the same and the two walked past one another, heading in opposite directions. It looked back at him when it was quite a distance away and he did the same before turning his head back. Minutes passed by and the two didn't see each other anymore. He had to stop and think about this encounter for a minute; after a few minutes he continued along the path he had been walking on.

It was times like these that reminded him that he wasn't too different from the wolf he encountered. Always walking alone...

* * *

**So, everyone, hello. Another chapter so soon, but that doesn't bother me. I'd like to first say thank you for writing what you guys put, I mean it. It goes to show how wonderful of people you all are. Another thing is that I found someone to talk to, we start talking in the next week or so. The final thing is my god you guys wrote a lot of reviews in such a short time span, but I don't really mind that too much. I think the next chapter is going to be the different point of views from everyone, since you guys have been asking for it. I didn't put it in this chapter because the next one I actually want to focus on the characters and their reactions to Six in general, so the next chapter will be devoted to entirely them. Let's get onto the reviews.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: That's a possibility I'm willing to come around sooner or later. Anyways, stay safe.**

**Lechain: Indeed, I felt the need to make Glynda the actual logical one in their little group.**

**Alby199800: I won't say anything about that. Anyways, stay safe.**

**Rouge-eL: Did that, it helped a little. I'm going to find a therapist or just talk to one of my family members.**

**UndeadLord22: I tried to make him that justified, calculated, cold asshole in this story. Take care as well.**

**Sm0keyPanda: Yeah, I'm scheduling one for the future. You know, when you wrote Kevin, I was trying to figure out who you were talking about. Until I realized that the Wyvern's name is actually Kevin.**

**Mr.****wolffe: It's alright, I wasn't confused and I now have a better understanding.**

**Lord Demolitions: It's just how I am, I guess. Everyone has different expectations. Sorry to hear about your presidential candidate, plus I'm sure you're an amazing author. I actually considered Six going to the Vytal Festival but decided watching at the family's house was the best option for him to stay anonymous. As for Six having more interactions, I'll do that as the story progresses. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Ratnote: Nice, and thanks.**

**Elmoslayer569: Thanks.**

**Firefox24x: I'll be devoting the next one to the viewpoints of everyone else next chapter. You guys have been eager for that so the least I can do is grant that.**

**VGBlackwing: A long review, nice. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Halofan2117: Puberty was way better than the shit I'm dealing with now, but you are right about the second one. I'll keep your advice in mind, thanks.**

**captaindickscratcher: It's just how I am. About Glynda, yeah, I wanted to actually have her be the one to act the most logical of the group. I do think Penny's fighting style looks like it's based off of her, so that much we can agree on. Don't worry about the previous chapter, you all didn't get to me. I think it was more along the lines of myself thinking everyone else was coming down onto me, you all just merely stated your opinion and that's alright. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Lord of Moons: Possibly.**

**Victor John Foxfire: Wow, that was a good review. I agree about the whole Atlas thing. Also with that fight between Six and the dragon, I kind of felt the need to make the fight as realistic as possible. Sure Six is strong, but I doubt he's strong enough to tank several hits from a dragon that's at least ten times his size, so I wanted to make him use his cunning abilities and the items he had on him.**

**AnonymousAuthor3: I think I just need someone to talk to, luckily I found someone so that's a plus.**

**O: Pretty much.**

**Reader: Yeah, it is. I mean, you all are amazing people so there's that. About the chapter not being good enough, I think that's just a personal problem I deal with and need to work out one of these days. Stay safe to you as well, mate.**

**Winnie the Pooh: Possibly.**

**Shen69: I'll try, thanks for reviewing.**

** 47: Thanks.**

**Akin2018: I will, thank you.**

**Spark: Here it is.  
**

**Monkey-man369: Thank you.**

**Christian Breffle: Indeed.**

**darkromdemon: Indeed they are.**

**Crescentation: Thank you.**

**daggercloak000: One day he will.**

**HAIL KING DELIRIOUS: Affirmative.**

**OmegaDelta: She probably won't take it very well, considering in the show that was like her biggest card when Beacon fell.**

**FireandIce4664: I was going for that mixture of a video game feel along with the story feel. If it bothers you then I will avoid using it so often, there may be times when I slip up though.**

**Valerious Lake: Indeed, good to be back.**

**Dead344156: I might take some time off after this chapter, I don't know how long though.**

**Minxiboo: I do too, but I'm sure I'll manage.**

**Guest: Thanks, mate.**

**ErrorSans13: I will, thank you.**

**InfernoKnightmare: I needed a little laugh, thank you.**

**Guest: That she is.**

**FireandIce4664 (again): I might take a small break after this chapter.**

**Sunbreaker: Thank you.**

**free man writer: You're fucking awesome.**

**Teddy: I tried to translate this into English since I am unable to speak that language, but when I do, I'll try to thank you in some way. Sorry for not replying to you.**

**Crazypumpdude: That was a good one.**

**MysticMauler: Yeah, I figured I'd make it a bit longer due to me not answering questions like last time. Usually I write around nine thousand words a chapter and the rest is just from the author's note. I'd rather have nine thousand words of content as opposed to just discussing whatever is in the AN.**

**Rookie059: Yeah, my main problem is just always constantly worrying about what people think. I'll try to start ignoring the negatives and start looking at the positives without letting it give me an inflated ego. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion and I just have to learn to work around that. Salem will probably be pissed off the walls. As for the reactions, next chapter is going to focus mainly on that; it's what you guys want to see the most so I'll try to accomplish that.**

**negronomicon: It's alright, I just have to learn to live around it.**

**peeiswhitehelp: I'll keep that in mind.**

**rvbrwby: I'll dedicate the next chapter to the point of views of everyone. About Six and Maaya getting together, it's kind of a weird topic with me. Thanks for reviewing though. About that song, thanks for reminding me that it was one of the ones I had been looking for. **

**PhoenixGuy: You make me smile.**

**YOUGOTAWARFACE: It's just how I am, I guess. Apologizing is in my nature like you said, but you are right that nothing can really be done about it. Thanks.**

**The Baz: Yeah, I used to wake up at five when I had to go to work. Now I just wake up at five-thirty.**

**Fenrir Wylde Razgriz: I do read all the reviews, I mean you're guys' reviews are interesting to read, regardless of how ill intended they are. You are right though, everyone is a critic so I shouldn't be too bothered by it.**

**spartan-140: A handle and some wolf head pendants.**

**Guest: That's if she learns.**

**Blaze1992: From what I understand, yes. Though there are rumored to be more giant Grimm around Remnant, so it'd be cool to explore upon them. Really the possibilities are endless with FanFiction.**

**scottusa1: Thanks, laters.**

**LunaAnt: I hope so too.**

**Guest: That's alright, it isn't a problem for me to figure your message. Thanks for the suggestions though.**

**MarauderPrime12: You're badass.**

**ADAMU KADOMON: That's a good review, a very good analysis of the chapter I should say. Sorry I don't have much to say about your review, but thanks for reviewing. I mean it. You're amazing.**

**Czechus: Here's another chapter for you. It did give them a boost in morale, which was probably needed for people at this point. I am reaching out to someone, we'll probably start talking soon so that's a plus. Thanks.**

**Silverblaze243: Thank you.**

**Josephi: Indeed.**

**YUK18U573R Z: I agree with all those things you said about Glynda, it's a shame that her voice actor was fired and we won't see her character anymore.**

**Somerandomperson: I won't say the greatest, but I don't like to half ass my work. This was actually my first multiple fanfic cross so it's still a little new to me.**

**Fairfield parallax: Here's another chapter.**

**stormdragon981: It's more along the lines of the brutality of the murders happening, along with the fact that they're happening. While yes, the city may have had murders happen before, but possibly never at such a large scale and so quickly. I'm sure that once they find out that they were White Fang, then their viewpoints would change, most probably didn't know the victims were White Fang.**

**The Lone Swordswolf: I'll keep that in mind, thank you. I'll do a reaction chapter at Beacon for the next chapter, I don't know when it'll be up though.**

**sacke110: Thank you, I mean that.**

**JCarrasco: I'll keep it up until this story is complete.**

**rick12: Wow, that's actually a good review. I enjoyed reading that.**

**DCLIV: I prefer to avoid talking about other people's stories, but I do think that the story is well crafted. I don't really compare The Mantle of Remnant to mine because there are several differences regarding it, but nevertheless it is a good story to read.**

**Ghostly: I'll avoid saying some things so I don't spoil it, but I do agree with you about Ironwood.**

**Whitter: Thank you.**

**StayBlessed: Yeah, I do too.**

**That was a lot of reviews, and I mean a lot. I don't mind it though. Since you all have been asking about different point of views of everyone, I'll decide to indulge you guys in that regard. Next chapter is going to be mainly about everyone's thoughts about Six and there'll probably be a segment with Six at the end, but that's all I'm willing to say though. I don't want to spoil you guys too much. **

**You guys are amazing people though and I mean that from the bottom of my heart, so I'll take your guys' advice and take a little break. It won't be months and months, but I won't really be on that much. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, so I guess you guys just have to wait patiently. Otherwise, thanks for the reviews and stay healthy everyone. I mean it.**

**I'll see you guys in the next chapter. Goodbye.**


	17. Chapter 17: Different Perspectives

Ruby Rose would be described as many things. She was an excitable, fun-loving, empathetic, and passionate individual. Despite being the at of fifteen, she still had a certain childish charm that was adored by many. Everyone around Beacon knew her as the girl who adored fairy tales. Now though? She was torn, like someone had ripped the fun loving stories she had known as a child and twisted it. She had met him, back when she was taking on a mission to Mount Glenn, and she had been so excited to actually realize that he was real. Her excitement turned to absolute horror when she entered that train car, the amount of bodies littered across would haunt her for years. So much blood, all of it caking the walls and floor of the train that it looked like something out of a horror movie. At first, she thought that it couldn't be him. The person she viewed as a hero that saved towns from Grimm would never do such an atrocious action.

The concept of death wasn't that familiar to her. She knew people died, that much was obvious as she grew older, but the initial concept of it was like a foreign feeling. To witness it first hand; the scent of blood and bodily fluids, the viscera painting the walls, to even the look of horror on each of the victim's faces. It was absolutely devastating to find out that the one she looked up to had caused this. From that point on, things started to get worse for her. Murders happening in the city at an alarming pace, each one more violent than the last. So much death in such a short time span shut her down for a day or two.

She wasn't the only one to feel devastated that her childhood hero turned out to be a vicious killer. Ruby's older sister, Yang, was completely distraught that the figure she heard so many stories about as a child was like this. The train incident severely damaged her outlook on him, no matter how much she tried to deny it. Both siblings wanted to be just like him as they got older; they thought he was the coolest thing since Huntsmen and Huntresses. Now... they didn't know. After witnessing the aftermath of his massacre down in the tunnel, they didn't know if they wanted to be like him anymore. It felt like they had been lied to for several long years.

They were confused about the whole ordeal. Their confusion only worsened when they started to look at the news and saw murders happening in the city, much more than what they had seen before. Pretty soon that confusion turned into fear as the body count climbed into the hundreds, and they saw reports of of two Huntsmen dead near a sewer drain. Why was he killing people when he was supposed to be saving them?

"Yang?" Ruby called out.

"Yeah?" She looked at her younger sibling.

"He's not a bad person, right? Maybe it's someone else doing all this and he's out there saving people?" Ruby blinked back some tears. She always looked up to her older sister for answers, and she was hoping that she had some now.

"I... I don't know. Maybe he's always been a bad person... I mean, heroes don't kill people... right?" Yang sent an uncertain smile. To her, this was a harsh slap to the face; one that would sting for years on end. Who could blame her? Seeing the aftermath of your childhood hero's bloodbath was enough to send anyone into a flurry of negative emotions.

"Right! Heroes never kill... anyone..." Ruby tried to say confidently, only to trail off towards the end. This was horrible, even more horrible than when they realized a giant Grimm had escaped. Everyone heard the roar from miles away, they could feel the dread envelope their bodies when they saw it flying towards Beacon at an alarming pace. When it suddenly shrieked out in what appeared to be pain then turn away from the school, a wave of confusion had brushed over everyone. For the next several minutes, pained roars and shrieks were heard before a massive cannon-like boom bounced off the walls. After that, all was silent for a while. Most had come off their little adrenaline filled state and sought out the professors for answers.

Even the professors looked alarmed and confused as to why the Grimm started to fly away from the school, the only person that didn't look alarmed was Ozpin. To Ruby, the man looked impressed, like he had seen something truly amazing. When she asked him if they needed to fight the Grimm, he stated that it was gone and that someone special had handled it. He sounded so sure of himself, which put her at a state of unease. She didn't like the way he put that; it was like he had everything under control and expected something.

"I think we should check on Blake. By the way, have you seen Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"I think she's in the infirmary with Blake. I still can't believe Nora and Ren did that, what were they thinking?!" Yang suddenly raised her voice.

"I don't know..." Ruby said quietly. In truth, she held a newfound fear of the two. She did know that they traveled with her childhood hero, which she was completely jealous of, but she was scared of how protective they were of him. Blake had made the mistake of calling him a monster and a reckless killer, which prompted the two to attack her viciously, much more than she thought they were capable of. It took two professors and Yang to fend them off before Blake had to be rolled off in a stretcher. The faunus had three broken ribs, a dislocated arm, a cracked clavicle, and internal bleeding. Needless to say she would be in the infirmary for the next few weeks, regardless if her aura had helped her.

"Come on, let's go visit her." Yang said as she walked out of the room, with Ruby following shortly after. The two of them walked in silence as they just stared at the halls of Beacon. They were worried about Blake. She began to sleep less ever since the murders started happening and it was clear she was showing signs of paranoia. By the time the festival hit, she was so paranoid that she didn't register what she had said to the two before they attacked. Right now, she was about as fearful of them as she was of Six.

The halls were bustling with activity, but to the sisters it was nearly dead to them. Nothing needed to be said for the two of them, all that was needed was the comfortable silence to avoid the harsh reality of the situation. At first, Beacon started to turn out great and they were excited for a new chapter in their lives; it slowly started to get worse as time passed. It all recently went downhill because of their discovery of the White Fang massacre down in the train, then to the murders in the city. It all led to one person and that rubbed them the wrong way.

Several minutes of walking passed by and they were in front of the infirmary, going into the room and walking to the end of it near the window. They saw her in the bed with bandages still on her and a notebook in her hand. Weiss was still next to her with some notes in her hand as well, she had taken the liberty of getting Blake her notes so she kept up on her school work. After Blake had revealed she was a faunus, and a former member of the White Fang, Weiss had been put in a new perspective of her teammate. Yes, she was still bitter about the White Fang affiliation part, but she was willing to look past that. In some aspects, she pitied her teammate. It was all because of her father's company.

Due to the White Fang being scared of the frontier in every kingdom, they had no choice but to comply with the demands of the SDC. As of now, the SDC was one of the most powerful companies on Remnant due to the workers afraid of causing a revolt and defecting to the White Fang.

"Port really needs to stop rambling when giving lectures. I almost took a page out of Ruby's book and fell asleep." Weiss commented.

"I heard that!" Ruby cried out as she entered the room with Yang.

"You were meant to, you dolt." Weiss shot back.

"Why so mean, partner? I thought we were best friends?!" Ruby said dramatically as she suddenly engulfed Weiss in a bear hug.

"Get off of me!" Weiss shouted as she stuck her hand on Ruby's face and started to pry her off. They stood up and started to roughhouse around the room before being forced out by one of the nurses. While the two were struggling outside the room, Yang went up to Blake's side and sat down in a chair. A look of sympathy flashed across her face when she saw her partner flinch.

"How are you?" Yang asked.

"A bit better. I still won't be able to attend classes for the next week." Blake said.

"Your aura isn't helping?" Yang asked.

"It is. The doctor told me to avoid using it for the most part, she said that if I forced it to heal my broken bones too much then they could heal wrong." Blake said.

"... I'll make them pay." Yang said bitterly.

"Yang, no." Blake said.

"They literally put you in the infirmary. All because they can't handle someone talking about him." She said. It went silent between the two for several seconds.

"I thought you looked up to him?" Blake asked.

"I don't know what to think anymore. I mean, I'm extremely grateful that he saved my mom all those years ago, but he literally killed three hundred people. That's not to say he hasn't killed more. To be honest, I feel conflicted about the whole situation. Yeah, he's my childhood hero and I want to be like him, but I also don't want to kill people." Yang said quietly. It was almost too quiet for someone like her.

"He's terrifying." Blake said.

"Was this because of the train?" Yang asked.

"No. I've... always been terrified of it, or him. Back... back when I was in the White Fang, when we started to get violent and I wanted out, that's when he struck. All around the kingdoms in the frontier, he always found out where camps were and never left any survivors. Years went by and we all started to make a rumor about him, that he was the personification of all the humans that the White Fang killed. The literal Grim Reaper. I wanted to go after him in the city... until the body count started rising..." Blake trailed off fearfully.

"What else?" Yang asked. She knew Blake was in the White Fang, she didn't care so long as she didn't kill anybody innocent. If she did... then there'd be some problems.

"He's never gone in the cities before, so can you imagine the literal embodiment of death coming so close to this place? It's why I've been so paranoid lately, I thought he would come after me next..." Blake said.

"..." Yang didn't know what to say to be honest. She had always adored her childhood hero while her partner feared him like he was some type of demon.

"I had never really seen the aftermath of his killings, only heard about them. The train incident was the first time I've actually seen it." Blake said.

"Yeah... me too. My mom always told me and Ruby that he was some type of hero, of how he saved towns from Grimm. The way she painted him, it made it seem like he was an all around decent guy." Yang said.

"Looks like we were opposite ends of a scale." Blake said lightly.

"Yeah..." Yang said quietly. Silence seemed to bask over them for a few minutes before Ruby and Weiss walked back into the room. The former looked happy while the latter just looked exasperated by her teammate's antics.

"How are you, Blake?" Ruby asked.

"I'm doing a little better, thanks for asking." She smiled a bit.

"I made these cookies to make you feel better!" Ruby beamed brightly and shoved a tray full of cookies in her face.

"I'll eat them when I recover. Is that why you two took so long to come back?" Blake asked.

"Yes! The dolt over here decided to run around the campus and grab her cookies." Weiss huffed.

"I baked them with love and hard work! Maybe if you weren't so uptight, then you'd appreciate them more." Ruby jabbed.

"Why you little-" Weiss stomped her feet before pulling on Ruby's cheeks. The redhead whined in protest and tried to pry her partner off before Yang separated the two. It would've been funny had the nurse not been glaring at them from across the room. The two muttered an apology then went back to Blake, talking with her for a while. It was nice, just the four of them talking about their interests. The topic soon shifted to the murders and then about the Grimm dragon that was seen in the distance. It was just conversations like that for the next several minutes.

Jaune walked into the infirmary nursing his hand slightly. The four of them looked as he walked up to the nurse and she started to bandage his hand gently. From their perspective, it looked like a bite mark. He noticed them and waited for the nurse to stop bandaging his hand before he walked up to them, giving them a friendly wave with his bandaged hand.

"Hey." He greeted.

"Hey, Jaune." They waved.

"What happened to you?" Ruby pointed out.

"Nora bit me." He sighed.

"She what?" Weiss blinked.

"Nora bit me, hard too." He repeated.

"Why'd she do that, and why didn't your aura take care of it?" she asked.

"I was training with Pyrrha a bit and she put me through a lot, so it was out. She literally knocked all of my aura down. As for why Nora bit me, it's because I was cleaning our room and I touched their chest on accident. I didn't even know she could move that fast and her teeth was the first thing that came to her mind. Ren was quick to jump up too. He was more concerned about my hand after she did that." He said. The other four just stared at him, out of the two teams, Nora was the most unpredictable at times.

"Did she at least apologize?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, she apologized afterwards and she looked really regretful, but man did it hurt. I didn't even know she could bite that hard." He winced as he gently touched it.

"You going to be okay?" She asked.

"Me? Yeah, I'll be fine. The nurse already put disinfectant on it, so it should heal up when my aura comes back. I... should've remembered she and Ren don't like people touching that chest." He said.

"What's in there?" Yang asked.

"Some cloaks that the guy they look up to made. They called him Six, I think." Jaune put his hand on his chin.

"What's his real name?" Weiss asked.

"I don't know, not even they know. The guy just called himself that. He's really scary to be honest, he's one of those guys that take silence over everything. Plus he wears this super bulky armor underneath his cloak." He said. They all looked at one another then back at him.

"What else?" Blake asked.

"He's uh... he's really fast, when he attacks I mean. Half the time he just threw me around or put me in grappling positions that made me tap out. He's really big and intimidating when you combine those things, it makes him even scarier. I think when we did a bounty and waited for him, he gave us different scenarios regarding people." He described.

"I don't... I don't really see the big deal with this guy. I mean, who is he?" Weiss asked.

"You don't know about the legend around Remnant?" Ruby asked.

"No." Weiss shook her head.

"The wolf of the frontier, basically a children's story that surfaced like... eleven years ago?" Yang asked.

"Nope." Weiss shook her head again.

"The Grim Reaper to the White Fang?" Blake asked, earning looks to from the others. "Force of habit." She murmured.

"When I mean, no, I literally mean no. I've never heard of this guy before, all I know is that you two freaked out down in the tunnels and rushed up to him." Weiss said.

"Well, I'll just get going. I can see that you guys are busy, so bye." Jaune waved and left the room before they could get a farewell out. On the way out, he winced at his hand and the four of them just sent a look of pity towards him. That was actually scary if Nora literally bit him like a wild animal because he touched a chest, what would she do if he touched the cloaks? Just thinking about that made them shudder.

To them, Nora and Ren seemed a little... different in a sense. Both of them were always looking around a new area or were cautious of the meal they had picked up, checking to see if it was poisoned or not. They were always so quick to defend one another and wouldn't tolerate people talking about them. Both of their grades in their survival class was leagues above some of the others and they seemed almost at home whenever they went to the frontier for an assignment. The girls could see that they were uneasy about living at Beacon, it didn't take a genius to tell that. It felt like they were caged and that everyone was an unknown.

"Hey..." Blake said, getting their attention.

"What?" Yang asked.

"You ever notice how Nora and Ren never said where they came from? That they only traveled with this Six guy for a few weeks and didn't see him for several years. Why do you think they're so protective of someone who hasn't been in their lives for so many years?" Blake asked.

"Well... Nora said she and Ren saw Six as family, despite him probably not feeling the same. She said he saved them years ago and taught them things, so who's to say he didn't shape their core mentality?" Ruby guessed.

"That's a possibility. Both of them did say they pretty much grew up in the frontier, so there's a chance that his deeds probably shaped them." Yang nodded.

"There's also the fact that they're so defensive of him, it's almost like they're wolves." Blake said.

"I doubt that." Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Oh, shut up, you just don't understand because you grew up sheltered. Like a little princess in an ice tower." Yang sassed. She swore she could see steam start to erupt from Weiss' ears.

"How dare you, you bimbo!" Weiss fumed in place. Blake laughed as her three teammates began arguing and teasing one another, before having to be escorted out of the infirmary by the nurse.

Silence slowly enveloped the room and she was left alone with her thoughts once again. It was a nice visit and she'd thank them when she got the chance, but her fear started to bubble up in her system again. Her hands clenched tightly against the sheets as her heart rate picked up again, the phantom pain of her beating at the festival played over and over in her mind. She supposed she deserved it; after all, she'd probably react the same if someone talked like that about her parents as well. She was terrified of Ren and Nora, now more than the time she found out they were the ones who traveled with the Grim Reaper himself.

There were times over the course of the school year did she want to try and talk to them about him; how much of a monster he was and that killing countless faunus was wrong, especially when they could've been helped. She wanted to say that a compromise could be settled to where they could convince him to stop his killings. So much could have been said to them, but she screwed it up when she saw the news. Someone was killing any White Fang they came across and purging the city of them, countless sleepless nights all led to the man that put so much fear into her in the first place. Some nights she would look at the news and see how the families of his killings were affected, it broke her heart to see so many people distraught over their loved one gone.

From that point on, she held nothing but disgust towards the man and wanted to fight him, to stop his reign of terror he was causing. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw how many bodies he had managed to stack up, in the span of a month. Fear consumed her and she began to grow paranoid whenever she heard about another killing that had occurred. That feeling soon morphed into terror when she saw how he killed two veteran Huntsmen without hesitation near a storm drain that led out into the wilds. She didn't know whether to cry at the amount of deaths he caused or spite him with all her being. It was leaning towards the latter as of now.

Those people he killed were just misguided. They were lied to and had the possibility to change themselves if they had the chance, but they would never get it now.

By the time she had fought Ren and Nora, her paranoia and hatred of the man got the better of her. If she couldn't take it out on him, then she'd take it out on the ones who looked up to him the most; his metaphorical children. She didn't realize how quickly the words came out of her mouth until she saw their faces, and by that time the damage was already done. First it was hurt, then came the anger when they literally attempted to kill her. A mixture of guilt and resentment crossed their faces when they realized what they had done to her. She supposed the resentment was to be expected seeing how she spoke ill of the man that had practically raised them, but the guilt part confused her. Was it that they were guilty that they had stooped to that level, or that they had hurt her?

She didn't know. All that she knew was that she'd probably avoid confronting them from now on, only doing so if she had no other choice. She was terrified of them, because of what they did to her and what they would've done had nobody stopped them. They were unpredictable and dangerous, those were two things that were a lethal combination in the right set of hands. She supposed she deserved this in a sense, this was her punishment for acting out of line and letting her emotions get the best of her.

"I think it's best if I stay away from them for a while." She murmured as she threw her blanket over her shoulders, wincing when her wounds became irritated.

* * *

Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose tightly, that miniature headache was right on schedule. She listened to Ozpin and Ironwood argue back and forth, both about the Grimm dragon, or the Wyvern, and about Six. Everyone had been alarmed when it suddenly erupted from the mountain top and started to fly towards Beacon, throwing everyone into a frenzied state. It covered ground at an alarming pace and was close enough to the school for people to see it from a distance, before it suddenly veered in the opposite direction. It sounded like it was in pain, that something on it was causing it so much agony that it made the Grimm fly away from the school.

Ironwood immediately mobilized his forces to track the thing, only to retreat when a flock of Nevermore started to attack them. She had to urge to roll her eyes when she heard how his fleet wasn't able to handle the Grimm. Despite having an entire fleet at his disposal, he couldn't muster up the necessary manpower to handle the Wyvern. She knew he was using his fleet for something else, and it bothered her that he wasn't using it for the people. Another thing she didn't like was how Ozpin seemed so smug about the matter, like he knew something.

She knew what it was, it was about that man that he had been obsessed over for the last several years. The one man who had not only killed three hundred White Fang, but also two Huntsmen, and possibly the Wyvern. While she would admit, the man was interesting, but he wasn't interesting to the point of obsessing over. Ozpin's viewpoint of the man was almost fanatical and it was concerning. It was as bad as Ironwood's vengeful viewpoint of the man. Both men had disregarded several factors and blindly rushed into situations that made themselves look like fools. Out of the three of them, she was possibly the only one who thought about the people first.

"Will the both of you calm down?" She finally spoke, drawing their attention.

"I am perfectly calm." Ironwood said.

"No, you're not. You're rambling on about how this man is such a threat, saying that his presence has thrown the kingdom into a frenzied state." She said.

"He killed this thing, by himself mind you. If he wasn't a threat before, he sure as hell is now." He argued.

"Is there any way to tell if he actually did it? Do you have footage of him doing so?" She raised an eyebrow. His mouth clamped shut and pressed into a thin line at her question, the only thing he actually managed to capture was the aftermath of the area, and even then that was a day after it happened. There's no telling if the nearby settlement had any intervention.

"No." He grit his teeth.

"Exactly, so there's no telling that he did it by himself. I'm sure the nearby settlements had dealt with it." She crossed her arms.

"Yet, you seem to ignore the small speck of brown on it, as it turned away from Beacon." Ozpin quipped.

"You know I'm nearsighted. If it was him, then it just meant he avoided damage to the school and kept the students alive. That's another concern I have, why do we not have defenses in case something like this happens?" She asked.

"We do not need the students worrying about why we have so many guns-" He started.

"So you'd rather have another attack like this happen? I'm sure they can deal with guns near the perimeter. Half of the students use firearms anyways." She scoffed.

"Hmm." He hummed.

"That still begs the question, what are we to do about this man?" Ironwood asked.

"We get into contact with him. He has shown to be willing enough to direct such an attack away from the school, which means he is possibly willing to-" Ozpin started.

"We discussed this several times over, he's not going to join. If he eliminated the Wyvern, then it means he's not openly against us. Just because he's tipped the odds in our favor does not mean he's going to join us." She interrupted.

"Why must you interrupt me so much lately?" He asked.

"Because I know you're going to say something foolish. I'm tired of hearing you obsess over this man and you're just as bad as James." She scoffed.

"That was uncalled for." Ironwood commented.

"No, it's not. Both of you are fixated over this unknown man. You seem to ignore the fact that explicitly stated he has no interest in us years ago. We should be trying to gain the people's trust in the settlements. Have you forgotten that people are more wary of Huntsmen and Huntresses now? They hold more trust in a man that never stays in one spot very long more than us. We're supposed to represent Humanity and defend it to the best of our ability, or you must have forgotten that." She gestured.

"Do not preach to me about being a Huntsman, Glynda." Ozpin said evenly, there was a slight bite in his undertone which she chose to ignore. It didn't bother her in the slightest, this fixation Ozpin had was doing more harm than good and she wouldn't just sit here and do nothing. She'd do whatever she could within her limits to ensure that people at least did okay, and the future generations learned how to be proper Huntsmen and Huntresses.

"It's obvious someone has to. I will not sit here and tolerate this... this obsessive nature, especially if means I get punished for it." She said.

"..." Ozpin just stared at her while she did the same. His attitude in the recent years was a growing concern; him doing actions like these would bring about his downfall, something she didn't wish to see.

"Your intentions may be good in some viewpoints, but it does not mean they are morally correct. I seen reports from Qrow about some of the financial issues in some of the settlements, forcing people to give up information, sending soldiers to each settlement, and enforcing a set of rules that put people at unease. Have you two lost your minds? Those kind of situations are bound to attract Grimm." She looked at the both of them.

"I don't know what you're talking about. The people have been cooperative in giving up information regarding this man. This is a success in my eyes." Ironwood said.

"They're scared, James. You've put more fear into people's hearts than reassurance. They're scared what your soldiers are going to do to them and they have no choice. How many people have you incarcerated in the past because they refused to give up information about this man?" She asked.

"None, because they realize the gravity of the situation they are put in." He answered.

"I refuse to believe you're telling the truth. Throwing them into unnecessary and stressful situations is the reason they have no trust in the military. Ozpin, how many people don't like Huntsmen or Huntresses in the last couple of years?" She asked.

"Very little." He answered instantly.

"Wrong, a healthy portion of the settlements in Vale are wary of us now. I understand that training is long and we can't spare any hands all the time, but we've been slacking off when it comes to people in need. Ozpin, people are starting to push us away and don't see us as reliable people who will come to their aid." She said.

"What do you suggest?" He leaned forward in his desk.

"We start taking the students out more, give them a more hands on experience. It's either that or continue to have people lose faith in us and perish waiting for that man." She said.

"Hmm, I'll think about this." He nodded.

"I sure hope so. Now I must attend to Ms. Valkyrie and Mr. Ren accordingly." She sighed and began to walk towards the elevator. Both of them had proven to be troublesome students sometimes, it was clear they were used to being out there in the frontier. She shuddered when she remembered having to use her semblance to keep them away from Belladonna, that was possibly one time she actually feared that a student would kill another one. That needed to be handled delicately, any errors on her part could result in a catastrophic situation that she didn't need to happen. She ignored them as they looked at her, closing the elevator doors before they could say anything to her.

The two of them just basked in silence for the next few minutes. Ozpin spoke up while placing his his hand on his chin.

"I will send Qrow to that settlement I visited last. From that point on, information will come in and we will be able to find out more on this man." He reassured.

"We better, the man is nothing but unpredictable and we cannot have someone like that roaming around Remnant. Especially since Salem is making her moves." Ironwood said.

"In time, we just have to play our cards right. This is a delicate situation we are in." Ozpin nodded. He watched as Ironwood nodded also then walked towards the elevator, waiting for it to open then stepping inside. Both men stared at one another and bid each other farewell as the doors closed, leaving the Headmaster by himself. A odd feeling had festered in his gut; it felt like he was doing something wrong but he brushed it aside. Everything he did was necessary and sacrifices needed to be made.

He just hoped it didn't come back to haunt him sooner or later.

* * *

A pale hand slammed on a dark conference table, creating a small spiderweb of cracks in it. Black and red eyes gleamed brightly in fury at the recent series of events. The biggest card she had in this foolish war was now gone, blown to smithereens without hesitation, and all because of one man. The cloaked individual that roamed around the frontier, giving hope to the denizens and the only person to take away one of her subordinates unknowingly.

When she first heard of the rumor of him, she just thought it was a mere local legend that people created to bring a false sense of hope. Some time had passed and the story about him grew more popular and she took an interest in him. It wasn't until seven years ago did she come to know of him and get a description of him, which was nothing short of useless half the time. Tall, quiet, and wore a cloak; those were the only things she had known about him for years. Nobody knew where he came from, who he was, or what his motives were. All anybody knew was that he wandered around aimlessly in the wilds, making him nearly impossible to track.

Originally, she thought he was one of Ozpin's pawns; eliminating Grimm and saving people, but that was soon debunked. Her various sources claimed he was a dangerous killer, often striking without mercy and disappearing shortly after. Those characteristics didn't fit Ozpin's little group. It intrigued her greatly, so much that she sent one of her best subordinates after him. Several months later, her underling came up empty handed. While it surprised her, it also disappointed her that they weren't able to find him. Soon, her interest slowly turned into irritation and finally annoyance.

The man was a thorn in her side, much more irritable than some of the others. Now though... he was basically the knife in her back that wouldn't come out. It was like he was the blade that was digging into her flesh and causing more trouble. His most recent action was what made her want him dead. If he couldn't join her against her war with Ozpin, then he was no use to her and needed to be taken out of the picture. She knew he often traveled around the kingdoms, which is why she wanted each of her subordinates in them. Unfortunately, she could only have three since her most recent one, Cinder Fall, was captured and being held at an undisclosed location.

This was fine though, had the girl done her job properly then she wouldn't be in the situation she was in. Now she was just dead weight to her plans.

The pale hand flexed and clenched into a fist before three jellyfish-like Grimm floated into the room, their bulbous head glowing brightly. She waited for a few minutes before three male faces appeared. The first one was a tall-middle aged man with tan skin and a thick mustache, the second one was a burly, muscular man with tanned skin, and a pale slim man with a ponytail. His eyes showed nothing but sadism as he stared at his superior.

"Arthur, Hazel, Tyrian... I have a task for each of you." She said respectively.

"As you are, my grace." Arthur bowed a bit.

"What is it?" Hazel asked politely.

"Anything for the Goddess." Tyrian cackled slightly, making her internally scoff.

"This man, that has been a thorn in my side. I'm sure you three know of him. The one with the cloak and managed to take out the Grimm in the mountaintop on Mount Glenn. The wolf of the frontier as the denizens call him." She said.

"Yes." They answered in unison.

"Have you found any information?" She asked.

"We have found out that he seemingly visited a family of four." Hazel informed calmly.

"Oh?" She asked, suddenly intrigued.

"Although we had to leave due to some of the locals becoming suspicious of our presence. It seems that everyone in the settlement knows of one another." He said.

"Interesting..." She placed her hand on her chin and thought about this for the next few minutes. While she was furious that he managed to take out one of the ancient Grimm, that was immediately replaced with interest. This just meant that the man had people he cared about... good.

"What of the tasks?" Arthur asked.

"Each one of you will reside in a kingdom and gather valuable intelligence regarding him. Hazel, you will reside in Mistral for the time being." She ordered.

"I understand, is there anything else you need of me?" He asked.

"No, that is all." She shook her head, several seconds later his image vanished from one of the Grimm near her.

"Of me?" Arthur asked.

"I want you to get into contact with Dr. Merlot and find his location. His mutations of my Grimm may be a valuable asset to us in the future. Also... find out if those rumors of children and Grimm experiments are true. From that point on, head to Atlas and reside there for the time being." She ordered. His task was rather complicated, but the smirk on his face showed he was up for the challenge.

"Understood, it shall be done." He nodded then left shortly after. There was a rumor six years ago about children being kidnapped and sold, something she didn't hold lightly, but later brushed it off. It had been going on for years, but through her Grimm's tortured eyes, she caught glimpses of them. Ultimately, she didn't care what happened to them, writing them off as dead. She had more important matters to attend to anyways.

"Goddess, what is my task?" Tyrian asked.

"... I want you to gather information and do something about the family then remain in Vale. If this flushes him out then you have my full permission to kill him and remove the thorn that he is. If you succeed, then you will be rewarded for your efforts." She said and watched his eyes light up in glee.

"It shall be done!" He cackled sadistically then his image fades shortly after. She sighed and shook her head before leaning back in her chair, that man was a problem to her and her plans. Had she managed to get into contact with him and convince him to join her, then she would've left the family alone. Knowing Tyrian, he was bound to make it messy. It didn't bother her considering she had seen her fair share of gore, but the buffoon had a habit of making it too messy and causing several problems due to his unpredictable nature.

They only way she kept in contact with them throughout the kingdoms was miniature Grimm. They were capable of creating a smoke that acted as a screen to communicate with them, and were small enough to fit into their pockets. It took a while to create such creatures, but they did prove to be rather useful in the end. If this whole thing worked out, then she got what she wanted most.

Salem always got what she wanted, even if it meant risking her downfall.

* * *

**So, yes, here I am again. I don't really have much to say other than let's get into these reviews because there's a lot. Therapists claims that's it's good for me to talk, but I don't really say anything during our sessions, but whatever... you guys aren't here to read about that.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: I'll think of something.**

**Guest: Countless years of tidbits of information.**

**JCarrasco: Thanks.**

**MysticMauler: It's all I can do at this pint, but thanks.**

**Cerberusx: The ammunition is a yes, the weapons is a bit of a stretch, but the Covenant weapons... I don't know. Six doesn't really know the ins and outs of the weaponry. He may be proficient with using each one and interested in them, but I don't think he'd really know the science of one off the top of his head.**

**Halofan2117: Hope this answers your question.**

**Sm0keyPanda: Didn't know that. I'm alright, I've dealt with depression before so it ain't my first rodeo with this, I'll be okay.**

**Guest: She said some unnecessary shit.**

**darkromdemon: Pretty much. Although, I'd like to expand upon her character some more rather than just make her that annoying ass character we all know as of now.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: Indeed.**

**forthose8675309: I see, I will try to improve upon my writing style some more. It might take a few chapters, but your review has been noted.**

**Reader: Indeed I have uploaded a bit sooner. I always read reviews, it's the only way to tell what you guys feel about the story. I have not watched volume 7, I barely got through volume 4-5 and 6 was an improvement before they dropped the ball at the finale in my opinion. At this point, I just stopped watching RWBY all together. It's kind of the reason I turn to fanfiction also. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Justanotherhalofan: Thank you.**

**bignub243: Originally, that wasn't my end goal, but you did put into perspective of what it's like to be treated like that for so long. About Ren, Nora, and Blake, I did try to put a small twist on the first two while keeping the third the same for the most part.**

**John Lenard: More like symbolism.**

**Lord Demolitions: That certainly would be interesting.**

**Rogue-eL: I'll try to expand upon the drama so more as the chapters progress, and thanks.**

**Foxcomm: Maybe, maybe not...**

**Blaze1992: Perhaps.**

**InfernoKnightmare: Yeah, I found someone to talk to, it's kind of hard though. I don't really talk about my emotions to other people because for the most part, I've learned over the years to just push it down, which is extremely unhealthy. Anyways, your review did make me laugh a bit, so kudos to you.**

**Guest: Love you, purely platonic.**

**Jdkem: Same, college is a bitch to deal with. Good luck to you.**

**rvrwby: I have taken it for consideration, it is currently logged in my mind.**

**ADAMU KADOMON (Kana Yoshizawa/Shiranui Mizuki): Yeah, I looked up Chekhov's Gun and decided when I make a new chapter, that every single aspect needs to make sense. You certainly helped me a bit because half the topics I was going to incorporate would just conflict with what I already had, so thanks for keeping me from avoiding unnecessary topics and mistakes. I agree about Blake though. Congratulations about the wolf motif, you somewhat got it.**

**Ghostly: Possibly. He is heading to Patch, which shouldn't be a surprise seeing how it was stated last chapter, so there might be a chance that he meets them.**

**LunaAnt: Here it is, I hope it's good enough.**

**AMW Riptide: Love you so much, purely platonic.**

**daggercloak000: Perhaps...**

**rick12: Indeed, good analysis.**

**scottusa1: Thanks, laters.**

**free man writer: You're awesome. Also about the character driven chapter, I kind of wanted to experiment with it. I don't know why, but it feels more satisfying to actually expand upon a character like a Spartan. Thanks for reviewing.**

**captaindickscratcher: To be honest, I actually don't mean for those things to happen. I don't even notice that until someone points it out, so imagine my surprise when that was what I read when you put that review. Thanks for reviewing though.**

**Malgrath: Indeed.**

**Helluva Pawn: She did.**

**Czechus: I agree about her character, some interaction might happen later in the story, so there's that. You stay safe also.**

**SuperRealMahjong: Nice analysis from the TV Tropes, didn't know about some of those things.**

**IncensedBus87: I tried to capture that in this chapter, I hope it is good enough for you.**

**Josephi: Knowing the character, he still would.**

**Fredric: Yeah, I wanted to break away from some of the action for a minute.**

**The Prussian Gamer: I should've been more descriptive when I said the black-haired female. It was meant to be Blake that said that.**

**The Baz: I personally feel like it would be a stalemate, at worst he'd lose, but at best he'd be at a stalemate. It would be cool though.**

**PhoenixGuy: Why? I like it better when people smile.**

**yangn33: Believe it or not, that was not my intention, it just popped in my head. Though some of the story is inspired by Goblin Slayer, I at least tried to differentiate it. Not my intention in the end though.**

**CODE 8: Nice, very informative.**

**Fenrir Wylde Razgriz: Well, it was nice that you did. Thanks for it.**

**Imperial Stormtrooper: Indeed.**

**bigbossHayden98: I don't know if I'm going to do that.**

**Guest: Whoa, calm down, it was just an idea.**

**shadowless15: Thanks.**

**Ghostly: You described the man perfectly.**

**Guest: You're fucking great.**

**Merlin Odinson: Is... is that a good thing?**

**Zeratul360: Meh, people had mixed opinions about that topic, so it's all good.**

**Spoooooner: I mean, it was an odd topic for some.**

**rarepepe40: I should've been more clear in my description. It was meant to imply that he was growing more comfortable around people, not to the point of telling them his life story or who he is. Plus, it's only seven people in total. I apologize for ruining your immersion with the story.**

**sacke110: I sometimes forget too, but that's okay.**

**Specter: It was just an opinion.**

**Somebody10101: I didn't want to do the whole different universe thing, it would've confused me and ruined some things in my opinion. The topic of him getting on Remnant was something I didn't think of back then when I first made this, but I will try to think of something that fits into the story. It may not be satisfactory to you or several others, but I will try to think of something.**

**Guest: It was just an opinion.**

**Guest: It was just an opinion... once again.**

**Hoodini panini: Can't impress everyone, meh...**

**So that's it, kind of wanted to set something up for the next possible arc. On a side note, I finally got the MCC, it only took me six years but I recently forgot they added Reach and ODST so nice. I guess this is a see you later. I'd like to thank you guys for reading and waiting patiently and if this chapter doesn't meet your expectations... meh. I can't please everyone. Goodbye and take it easy.**


	18. Chapter 18: Another Stray

The journey to Patch was quick, not as quick as he would have liked seeing how he had to walk a majority of the way there, but the ride on the boat was quick. He had waited until night before he got off the boat unnoticed, taking in the area around him before heading to the objective. The sky was littered with stars and they dimly reflected off of his visor before he turned his attention to the road ahead. He ignored the sounds of the wildlife as he stepped into the forest, letting the branches of small trees and bushes drag against his cloak.

The dirt underneath his boots would kick up in certain spots, sticking to the bottom of his cloak before falling off shortly after. His feet carried him for the next few hours, his mind running at the thoughts about the facilities. From what he understood, there were two in the other three kingdoms. Vale was an exception due to the main facility being located there, though when asked about that, the Monitor merely replied it was for research purposes and that the climate was just right for experiments. Forerunners were still a mystery to him, but that just made them more interesting in his eyes. It wasn't to the point where he'd drop everything just to study them, but he would try to learn about them in his downtime. Something the Monitor was ecstatic to talk about.

Eventually, he set his bag down and began to set up a temporary camp. Traps were set in the surrounding area and his cloak was spread out, his contents organized neatly on the tattered cloth. Checking his inventory was always relaxing at times, just like maintaining his weapons were. He carefully dismantled his shotgun and cleaned it thoroughly before doing the same to his DMR. Despite his weapons gaining years on them, he always kept them in top shape. His armor was the next thing he took off and cleaned with care; he managed to finally rid a stain on his helmet that had been bugging him for the last few weeks.

Even when he was in the UNSC, maintaining his armor was mandatory at times when he wasn't doing anything and it was better to be safe than sorry. Plus, doing this kept him busy and would keep complications from happening in the future. It took him about an hour to finally get everything cleaned and checked before he put everything back on, rotating his head when his helmet was the final thing put on. Running a diagnostics check, he nodded in approval when everything was the same as always. His armor was like his second skin, and he'd do anything to keep it from falling into the wrong hands, regardless if it meant sacrificing his life.

He shook his head of these thoughts before thinking about Patch; from what some of the townsfolk said in the settlements, it was safe enough to raise a family. A hum escaped his lips at that, but remembered that Grimm still infested the island, which was to be expected. Nothing on this world was completely safe, there was always danger lurking around. His eyes turned back to his supplies and noticed that his food was starting to dwindle down a bit, a slight concern but it could be handled. He didn't know if there was any animals in the area, but if that was the case, he could just head into town an purchase some more. He had stopped near one earlier and it wasn't that much trouble to backtrack a bit to get more.

It was fortunate in his case that there was nothing to actually dissuade him from getting to the facility. His mind wandered to the next objective on mind, which was heading to Mistral to get the facilities up and running there; after that it would be Vacuo. Atlas would be last so he could let the heat off of him die down a little; the military would be troublesome enough, he didn't need them interfering with his objectives. They were already annoying enough with their vain attempts to capture or kill him. From the radio, he could hear them call him a reckless killer, something that made him shake his head. Atlas was foolish to think he sought them out, when in reality he avoided them half the time. He didn't wish to kill the personal, but if they crossed him then he would eliminate them swiftly.

His items were placed neatly in his bag and it was set near him. His cloak was slung over his shoulders and he leaned against a tree, looking up at the sky once more. In time, he could finally get back to the UNSC and do his job once more, report what he had experienced and hope they could get something useful out of this planet. Although, he did promise Maaya that he'd take her up there one day. Chances were low that they'd allow her to see what it's like up there, but at least it was an interesting thought.

Maybe he was getting too attached...

* * *

The next morning was spent going around and looking for a town. It would be beneficial for him to find supplies before continuing his journey across the island, that way when he finally activated the facility, he could just go back and forth if he wanted to. Maybe he could start storing supplies at the main facility just in case, it certainly would be a wise thing to do.

Clouds seemed to cover the sky and the sound of thunder in the distance met his ears. He looked up at the sky before turning his head back to the path ahead, walking calmly as the sky darkened. It took a few hours, but he eventually found a town and saw people start to speed up as droplets of rain fell from the sky. He ignored the looks he was given as his eyes swept across the area and located a store after several minutes. The bell above chimed loudly and he was greeted by the cashier before looking around for food. Several items were carried and placed on the counter while the cashier just scanned them. He just stood silently before taking the items and placing it in his bag, leaving shortly after.

The rain was pouring heavily now and he went back to the wild, heading towards his objective. It was still quite a ways away from his current location and he didn't want to waste anymore time. He let his feet carry him while his mind wandered once more; the rain just pelted against his cloak and soaked it, the moisture dripping down onto his armor. The minutes turned to tens of minutes and eventually that turned to an hour, before long hours had gone by as he walked towards his destination. The rain would go off and on at certain points.

Pretty soon it was late evening, turning into night. The rain had picked up once again and he had decided to make a makeshift shelter from the current onslaught. It didn't take him long to set it up actually, at most it took seven minutes. The rain had stopped shortly after his initial setup, much to his slight annoyance, but he brushed it aside. His bag was brought in front of him and he fished through it for a few seconds, grabbing the cloth that held the handles and stared at them. When he got to the facility, he'd request the Monitor to use Forerunner metal for the blades, give the two knives to Ren and Nora.

They had grown in his opinion, it was expected that they be rewarded for their efforts. Their attack pattern could use work, as well as their attitude when fighting an opponent or two. He saw their expressions when they attacked that girl; he had seen it many times in people. The look of murder, something they must have not realized until it was too late. That needed to be checked before they could continue forward, getting that angry and killing a fellow student would land them in several unfortunate situations, some he did not wish to see. If they got too angry, then the enemy would take advantage of that; there was also the fact that they attacked recklessly. Their attacks needed to be smooth and purposeful, yet unpredictable to their opponent, not vicious and bloodthirsty.

He put the handles back in his bag and reached inside it again, taking out a can of food and opening it. The only sound that met his ears was the scraping of his spoon against the can and the wildlife. Droplets of water fell from the leaves above and some landed on him, but he paid no mind to it. All he did was wipe if away every so often when too much would fall on him. The next several minutes was spent reading his book on plants and eating, seeing an interesting section on some of them from Patch. There was one species that caused the organism who ingested, or was injected, to have horrifying hallucinations. It is rumored to be extremely dangerous and not to be taken lightly when collected. This would be a good way to extract information from more stubborn individuals.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he put the book away and discarded the can. He sat in his spot and closed his eyes, steadying his breathing and letting the time around him slip by. A few hours had passed and dawn was starting to break, making him stand up and dismantle the camp. His bag was slung over his shoulder and he walked through the forest once again, eventually finding a dirt path that would lead him towards his destination quicker. The mud stuck to his boots slightly as he walked on the path for a few miles, raising his TACPAD and sending out a signal, receiving one back shortly after and leading him in the right direction once more.

The clouds above seemed to disperse and the sun peeked through them. Time passed by and the sun was out, shining brightly across the land and basking it in warmth. He continued to walk alongside the path and noticed that the ground was dry at this point. Every once in a while he would adjust his bag and continue walking. There was a sound in front of him and he looked ahead to see a yellow motorcycle speeding towards him. It got closer and closer and he just watched it become bigger, before zooming past him without paying attention. He saw Summer's daughter, Ruby, in the back and presumably her sister driving it. His head looked over his shoulder at them and noticed Ruby tap her sister's shoulder before pointing back at him.

When the two of them stopped and looked back, he was no longer on the trail, disappearing in the trail of dust that was left behind. Ruby stared at the spot a bit longer before turning her head forward again; she knew she saw him, but she wondered why he didn't want to be seen. After a few more seconds, the motorcycle sped off once more.

Six just waited until they disappeared down the road some more before stepping out of his spot, staring at their retreating figure before continuing on the path. He didn't have time to hold a conversation with those two, nor did he care. As close as he was to his objective, he couldn't afford to stop and talk to them. A part of him honestly didn't think he'd see them again. That raised some questions as to why they were here; most likely the school year had ended at this point in time, so it was safe to assume they lived here. A sigh escaped his lips, that just meant Summer lived here also and he really didn't want to deal with her shenanigans. He'd get the facility up and running, store food and supplies there, then head back to the frontier and do some bounties before heading off to the next continent. His objective was set and nothing would get in his way.

Time seemed to slip by slowly as he continued to walk towards the end of the path, eventually going back into the forest again. The signal was getting stronger as time had passed, he estimated that he was nearing the middle of the island before he came across an odd cave. The overgrowth covering it was brushed aside and his vision was engulfed in darkness. It was unnaturally dark and he pulled out his DMR, firing twice when two Beowolves lunged at him. He moved out of the way when their bodies landed near him and watched as they disappeared slowly. He put it away then pulled out his shotgun instead, constantly scanning the cave for any more Grimm.

A split in the cave system was met after a few minutes of walking and he brought up his arm, sending a signal and waiting for a few seconds. There was a ping to his right and he started to walk down the path. Minutes passed by and he noticed that the walls began to look more metallic. Ten minutes of walking went by and there wasn't a trace of rock left on the ground, walls, or ceiling. His hand brushed against the left side of the pathway and the walls seemed to glow dimly.

He came across a large door and observed it, looking around before he saw a panel at the right of the door. His shotgun was put on his back and he touched the panel, waiting for it to react to his contact and open up. It lit up brightly and he looked at the holographic screen and took the biggest button, placing his fingers on it and rotating it to the right. The screen suddenly turned off and the panel snapped shut before retracting into the floor. There was a hiss and the doors split into three sections, opening up and letting him in. He walked inside and looked back when the doors snapped shut, ushering him to continue walking forward.

Each step he took down the long hallway seemed to slowly light it up. He walked for two minutes and by that time, the complex was lit up and he came across an atrium, not as large as the main facility, but large enough to hold several dozen people comfortably. Just like the others, there were numerous halls leading to different sections of it, something he would explore at a later date. In the middle of the atrium was a platform that seemed to float there, below it was just an endless abyss like the other one. He stepped up to another panel and pressed the button, watching as the hard light bridge materialize and he walked across it.

The final panel was like the others and he placed his hands on it, bracing himself for the pain and grunted when it skyrocketed through his system. His shields blared loudly and he breathed a bit as the pain subsided after a few seconds. He looked down at his hands and flexed them a few times, before hearing his shields recharge with a dull hum that he was so familiar with. The sound of machinery started up and after a few minutes, the entire complex was flooded with light. Sentinels seemed to come out of their confines and tend to the complex.

He looked up to see the Monitor's chassis float down and bounce around in joy. She seemed rather ecstatic like always, something that made him raise an eyebrow.

"Another facility up and running, Reclaimer!" She beamed.

"Why are you so eager about this?" He asked evenly.

"You have managed to get this entire portion of the Installation underneath my control! I will be able to record much more data on the wildlife now!" She answered as she floated around; testing bridges, opening doors, etc. He shook his head and had her direct him to the nearest communication's station, sending another signal and waiting patiently for a signal. This process was repeated several times before he shook his head and went back to the main atrium, noticing that there was a rather large map floating in the middle.

"What is this?" He asked.

"This? It is a detailed mapping system of the current continent, or kingdom as the inhabitants call it. Since you have managed to get this area completely up and running, it has provided a detail map of the section of the Installation." She answered. He went up to it and extended his arm, noticing that it was similar to a touch pad and moved it around. True to her word, it was in great detail. He moved it around and noticed every aspect of the kingdom of Vale; the mountains, prairies, settlements, and even the city to a certain extent.

"How are you able to get this information?" He asked.

"When you activated this facility, it had synchronized with the other one and the main one, sending out drones into the sky. From that point on, these will provide me with data." she answered.

"..." He just stared at her for the next few minutes before sighing.

"On an unrelated note, I feel like you would enjoy this." She said, catching his attention.

"Enjoy what?" He asked.

"These." She said and waited for a Sentinel to come out with a box, it clicked open and revealed four box-like devices with pyramidal protrusions on each face. It glowed a dim orange-red color and he took the box before picking one up, inspecting it carefully.

"What is it?" He asked.

"This is the Z-400 Pursuit Disruption Grid Generator, more commonly known as a splinter grenade. It is an multipurpose, area-denial explosive that was used to combat the Flood parasite. It is one of the programmable settings to the Z-040 Attenuation Field Generator/Localized, otherwise more commonly known as the pulse grenade." She answered.

"What is the significance of the splinters?" He asked, attaching two grenades onto himself and placing the box small box in his bag.

"The splinters are used as an offensive and defensive measure. Upon detonation, the grenade releases a ionized cloud of sparks that will detonate when something enters its field. The sparks disintegrate the unfortunate victim and are able to release an electromagnetic pulse." She explained.

"Hmm..." He nodded. A thought popped into his head and he looked around then back at the Monitor.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I have two requests. First, are you willing to to craft me ammunition?" He asked.

"Yes. I will need to know what kind you request though." She nodded her chassis up and down, waiting for him to pull out a DMR round and a shotgun shell.

"Second, are you also willing to add blades to these handles?" He asked as he bent down and fished in his bag, pulling out the cloth and unwrapping it. She floated closer to the handles then looked back up at him.

"I will need a length and mass of the blade, there is also the material I will need to worry about. Would you like hard light or the same type of alloy the Forerunners would use on occasions?" She asked.

"The alloy." He answered calmly as he sat down and drew the design for each blade. Ren and Nora's were similar while his was just a standard kukri design, it wasn't anything special.

"Alright, I will have the blades done in no time." She bounced up and down, ordering a Sentinel to grab the cloth and disappear down one of the halls. He nodded and turned back to the map, noticing several small dots on it, making him look closely at it. The Monitor floated next to him and saw him zoom in on one of the dots.

"What are these and what is the purpose of them?" He asked.

"They are transport beacons. It is meant for me to send supplies to the Forerunners on the field." She answered.

"Why are some of them blank?" He asked.

"Throughout time, they have been buried and no one has uncovered them. The buried ones are able to be dug up and activated, effectively marking a location for me to send you supplies or assistance." She said.

He stared and let his thoughts run for a bit. If getting these beacons set up around the Installation was possible and not too cumbersome to him, then he could possibly have several means of acquiring supplies throughout his journey to get the Installation up and running, eliminate this woman, and get back to the UNSC. Although there were numerous blank beacon locations, he noticed that they were spread out. He wondered if there was a way to plant more.

"Is there any way to plant more beacon locations?" He asked.

"Unfortunately, no." She shook her chassis.

"Why?" He asked.

"Those locations are where the strongest signals reside, it is easier for me to send supplies and some sentinels forces." She answered truthfully.

"..." He nodded and sighed before looking back at the screen some more. His map of the frontier of Vale was pulled out and he held it up to the holographic map, noticing that there was a beacon that seemed to be a few miles away from it. At most, it was twenty miles; at least, five.

"I take it you are eager to get back out and continue your deeds?" She asked.

"..." He looked at her then nodded, making her bounce up and down a bit.

"I see. Seeing how you managed to activate all the facilities in this region, I will leave you to your own business. I will inform you when your blades are done." She said.

"How?" He asked.

"Oh, right... I never did sync myself with your communications. Will you allow me to?" She asked. He went silent for a while and stared at her for the next few minutes, making her give an involuntary shudder. Somehow, despite being made of flesh and bone, he seemed more robotic than her. It seemed he was mulling over the countless possibilities of what could go wrong, and she didn't blame him, it's the same thing she would do. To her, he was a valuable ally that she would never betray, unless he threatened the Installation. He had shown no ill intent towards her and she didn't either.

After several minutes, he nodded and watched as she pulsated a few times, backing up to give him some space. Overall, he didn't feel any different.

"Nothing changed." He said.

"Did you expect me to give you power or something?" She asked.

"..." He just stared at her.

"Right, I forgot you do not like humor at times... anyways, I have synced myself to your communications. Your data pad on your forearm will ping whenever you are near a deactivated beacon." She said.

"I see..." He lowered his forearm before slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking towards the exit. It would take some time before his knives were complete and he figured he would collect some herbs from Patch, some are in season and he wanted to collect some just in case the occasion called for it.

* * *

He had traveled across the island, finding areas that held a certain plant species. It was the one that caused hallucinations in the consumer, based on the state of mind it could have several varying side effects. He had read in the book that they started out pleasant, before slowly turning into horrifying visuals and eventually made the user feel as if they were dying. Bending down to observe it, he noticed that it was an alluring purple color and picked it, reaching inside of his bag to store it in a little container. It was around noon and the sun was high in the sky, basking the land in a comfortable warmth.

Slinging his bag back around his shoulder, he stood up to his full height and walked around, just enjoying the wild. He must have walked for several minutes before he came across an opening, one that seemed to be used for camping. This would be a good location to sit down and take inventory of his belongings, crafting different items and checking his gear. It was one of his personal enjoyments; to just sit down and observe his things whenever he wasn't doing anything.

Before he could actually start bringing out his items, a red blip appeared on his motion tracker, making him bring out his shotgun and aim it to his right suddenly. He pulled the trigger when an Ursa barreled towards him, blowing off one of its legs. It roared in agony before he rushed up and gripped the back of its head and snout, twisting it violently and listening to its neck snap. The body crumbled to the ground with a loud thump and disappeared shortly after, flowing in the wind like pollen. He breathed and scanned the area a bit before putting his shotgun away.

It was silent for a few minutes and he was about to take off his cloak before he heard the sound of running, a couple pairs of feet actually... eight feet in total. He looked over his shoulder to see Summer and her family stare at him, looking around for any Grimm. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he stared at her before turning his back to them. His ears picked up the sound of running and he quickly turned back to them, moving out of the way when Summer skyrocketed towards him. He watched as she unceremoniously skid across the ground, looking awfully hurt or agitated after sliding for a meter.

"Why did you move again?!" She asked.

"Why are you trying to hug me again?" He asked.

"I wasn't going to hug you, I was going to kick you for once!" She shouted.

"..." He stared at her for a few seconds, his muscles slightly tensing up.

"..." She stared at him back, fist clenched before slowly going slack. Her body relaxed when she realized that he was on the defensive and any further attacks would provoke him.

"Why?" He tilted his head.

"Why do you think?!" She screeched.

"That is why I'm asking. I do not know." He said evenly.

"When I said look after the girls, I didn't mean traumatize them!" She stomped up to him, going to poke his chest but he just smacked her hand away at the last second. He looked down at her then at her family, who just observed the whole interaction in silence.

"That was not my intention." He said, backing up and setting his bag down.

"I can't tell whether to kick you or greet you." She sighed after several moments of tense silence.

"I would appreciate it if you did not attack me, Mrs. Rose." He said calmly. She threw her hands up in exasperation and watched as Six opened his bag. A large part of her was pissed off at him, more about the part that he managed to traumatize her daughters than anything. She felt heartbroken when both of them came home sobbing when they realized their childhood hero killed an entire train full of White Fang. To them, they had felt like they had been lied to and part of that was her fault. She should have explained to them that he wasn't completely benevolent; that sometimes heroes kill.

"Hey, Summer... you going to introduce us?" The blonde man asked.

"Yeah. Six, this is my husband, Tai." She cleared her throat and ushered the blonde man forward. He stuck his hand out in a friendly manner and just waited. All Six did was stand at his full height and stare at the man, taking in his features. Everything went quiet for a while as Six just observed the man in front of him before extending his hand, shaking it firmly before pulling his hand back immediately.

Tai winced slightly at the grip and chuckled uncomfortably; he felt a state of unease just looking at the giant in front of him. He had heard stories about the guy, how he was basically some legend within the frontier. Countless people that visited Patch would describe some person who would go around helping people, giving them hope and doing dirty work that others were afraid to do. Whenever Qrow would stop by, he would always say how wary he was of the guy, that someone like him was dangerous. Tai agreed, but he wasn't completely against the guy. After all, he had managed to save his wife. The only thing that made him completely wary of the guy was what he supposedly did; massacring an entire train full of White Fang and supposedly killing three hundred in the city.

It was something only trained killers could do without being caught. As much as he didn't want to believe it, he had a feeling the man in front of him was the one who committed this massacre. Although, the more he observed him, the more he noticed how defensive the guy was. It was like he was expecting an attack to happen at any moment. It... unnerved him.

"And these are my daughters, who you traumatized." Summer said sarcastically.

"I have met your children, Mrs. Rose." Six said.

"Oh great, that just cements the idea that you made them witness your little killing in the Mount Glenn." She said.

"As I have stated before, that was not my intention." He said.

"Alright, alright. I'm going to let this slide, but I'm going to remember this." She said.

"Noted." He nodded then took off his cloak. Ruby, Yang, and Tai's eyes widened when he did and spread it out. Sitting down, keeping them in his sight, before taking his contents out and spreading them out neatly. From what Summer had described, he wore armor, but they literally didn't expect him to be a walking tank that was built for war. Ruby's eyes seemed to sparkle and she quickly zoomed up to him, momentarily forgetting her initial fear of him. She backed up immediately and went back to her family when Six suddenly stood up and went tense. They watched as his fists clenched tightly and it looked like he was going for his weapon, only to relax slightly after a few seconds. His eyes scanned them carefully before he sat back down and turned to his items.

"Sorry." Ruby murmured.

"..." He didn't say anything and just picked up the new herb, combining it with another before setting it back down. The others looked at one another and sat down at a distance, close enough to where they could hold a conversation with him comfortably, but far enough to where he wasn't tense. It was times like these did Summer forget that he often roamed the wild and expected an attack, so Ruby suddenly rushing up to him due to her childish glee made him uncomfortable. This was like trying to get close wild animal and expect it to trust you.

They tried to hold a simple conversation with him, nothing too personal, but enough to keep him engaged. He was quiet, much more than the girls had actually anticipated. They expected him to be cool whenever he spoke, but he just seemed distant in a sense. His voice never wavered or rose above it's normal apathetic tone and it made the family look at one another whenever he said something odd. One would mistake him for a robot judging by the way he actually spoke, only to be assured he was a human.

Yang had been unusually quiet despite being next to her childhood hero for more than two minutes.

"Ms. Rose's sister..." Six called out, making her flinch.

"Yeah?" She blinked.

"You are uncomfortable." He said, cleaning one of his throwing knives before setting it down.

"Yeah, somewhat... how could you tell?" She asked.

"Your heart rate increases when talking about some topics. Both of your eyes divert when you are addressed, and your facial expression falters when the topic of death occurs at certain points. I can tell you have questions, so I would advise you tell them." He said. Everyone just blinked and went silent for a while, which didn't bother the Spartan in the slightest. This was merely a break from their constant questions, something he viewed as pointless somewhat.

"I uh... wanted to ask you about... down in the tunnels." She muttered.

"It was not my intention to expose you to that sight." He said.

"That's not it... well, it is. I mainly wanted to know why you did it..." She looked away.

"The White Fang were a problem and were jeopardizing the lives of civilians, they needed to be handled accordingly." He said evenly. The girls felt a pit form in their stomach; the way he said that was disturbing. It was like he just didn't care about their deaths.

"Wasn't there a way to, I don't know, knock them out?" Ruby asked.

"Then what?" He asked.

"Uh... call a Huntsmen or Huntress, or maybe wait for the authorities?" She guessed.

"No authorities are available past the city walls, and Huntsmen and Huntresses are spread thin throughout the kingdom. By that time the White Fang would have already done their deed." He said.

"There's always a choice." Yang said.

"Not always. The world is cruel, not every situation will bend to your favor. Some lives need to be taken in order for innocents to live, that is something they need to teach you. Not every person is willing to give up or change, and some will just harm others for the sake of it." He explained.

"But-" Ruby started.

"Ruby..." Summer said quietly, making her look at her.

"He's right, kiddo." Tai said in the same tone.

"What?" She blinked.

"Six is right. Although I don't agree with how he handles things." Summer shot the Spartan the stink eye, to which he ignored. "He is right about the world. I should have had this talk with you girls a long time ago about this. There are people in this world that are evil and will do anything just for the sake of it. Sometimes you don't have a choice in certain situations." She explained.

"..." Six just ignored their conversation and tended to the concoction, only snapping up when he heard something in the distance before going back to his devices. A few more minutes and he could leave, head back to the frontier before going to the next destination. He didn't care if Summer's kids didn't like him, a lot of people didn't, and they were no exception. There was a small ping on his TACPAD and he looked at it, seeing a message from the Monitor stating that his blades were done, along with the sheaths.

He started packing his belongings in his bag, drawing the eyes of the others. The most they spent was twenty minutes in this spot, why was he leaving already?

"Where are you going?" Summer asked.

"I am departing." He answered curtly.

"You just sat down." Tai said.

"I am aware, but I am taking my leave." Six said, throwing his cloak over his body and slinging his bag over his shoulder. Just like that, he looked like a phantom again.

"Well... are you going to come back to Patch? I'm sure people here would love you." Ruby said.

"No." He said, then began to turn around. It went quiet for a few seconds before Yang stepped forward a bit.

"I wanted to ask you something..." She said hesitantly.

"..." He stopped and looked over his shoulder, staring at her from underneath his hood.

"Ren and Nora. I... I want to know why they look up to you so much. Are they aware you're going around killing all these people? Why are they willing to defend you so much even though you haven't been in their lives for years?" She asked.

"Perhaps they do know. As for defending me, they have no need to, it is not bothersome if someone speaks ill about me. I do not know why they are willing to defend me to that extent." He answered.

"Our friend said that Nora listened to you instantly, that must mean you have some control over them." She said.

"No, they are their own people so there is no controlling them." He said and started to walk away, not bothering to answer anymore questions.

The look on her face dropped a bit at the answers she was given. That just brought up more confusion in her opinion. The bridge between her and the two had burned slightly when they attacked Blake, someone she viewed as a sister, and didn't apologize. Now that she actually met their surrogate father, she had hoped that some answers could be revealed, only to be met with more questions. Despite them saying he was their father, he acted distant towards them.

Summer and Tai saw this too, but they saw it in a different light. They doubted someone like him would have children due to being on the move all the time, but they weren't ones to judge so quickly, there were worse parents in the world. That also begged the question of who would be patient enough to settle down with him, which a thought did occur when she thought about that girl at the guild. She noticed that Six seemed to relax around her and his tone often changed from one of complete apathy to a calm, collected one.

"Jeez, when you said he was quiet, I didn't think he was this quiet." Tai commented.

"Yeah, even when I met him he was like this." Summer shook her head.

"Quiet and secretive?" Ruby asked.

"Pretty much. Six never really stays in one spot very long, I'm actually wondering what he's doing on Patch." Summer said. It went quiet for a minute before he spoke up.

"...Should we tell Oz? From what Qrow said, he won't shut up about the guy." Tai said.

"No. If we tell Ozpin then we'll just create a bigger issue than needed. I for one, don't feel like dealing with him at the moment. He's becoming more and more irritating as time passes." She shook her head.

"Why shouldn't we tell the Headmaster, mom?" Yang asked.

"... Ozpin is rather... fanatical when it comes to Six, for reasons even I don't know why. Did you girls notice anything strange about the Headmaster when he asked you what happened in the tunnels?" Summer asked. While she didn't mean to press about that experience, it was important that she knew the details regarding the Headmaster's interactions with her daughters.

"He seemed rather... eager. I didn't really say much to be honest, it made me uncomfortable and Professor Goodwitch had to escort us back to our room after a while. She didn't seem too happy with him. I mean, he apologized, but it didn't seem all that genuine." Ruby answered truthfully. A sigh escaped Summer's lips and she nodded, looking at Tai and sending him a certain look that he knew all too well. It would be a good time to explain to them about life of a Huntress, and to keep this whole encounter under wraps. The last thing they needed was Ozpin flying down to Patch and interrogating them about any information regarding Six. The four of them didn't need that.

Plus, Ozpin's obsession was starting to get out of hand. He started making mistakes he never made several years ago and it was causing more settlements in the frontier to turn Huntsmen and Huntresses away. If the girls were to have a chance at being Huntresses, then they needed to learn everything they could without being pushed away by the people they were supposed to protect.

* * *

Six watched them from his hidden spot in the brush, only leaving when they departed. He had decided to listen in on their conversation to see if Summer or her family would sell him out. Fortunately, it seemed she was rather quick to keep his presence under wraps. This just proved she was slightly more trustworthy than he had actually originally thought. Her daughters were a different story. It wasn't like he didn't like them, it was more along the lines of he didn't trust them one bit. They are pursuing a rather dangerous career, yet they cannot handle the sight of dead bodies.

What did they think would happen if they came across a destroyed town? Grimm didn't need to eat their victims, and half the time bodies littered the ground or in destroyed homes. If they couldn't handle that, then they didn't need to be Huntresses. Maybe it was his apathetic nature, but his viewpoint did have some truth to it. They should have a backup plan if they can't stomach the sight of death.

He shook his head and let himself run on autopilot. The walk back to the facility took no time at all, a day at most, and even then it didn't feel like it. As soon as he entered the main atrium, the Monitor had floated next to him and greeted him like always, striking up a one-sided conversation with him before calling the Sentinel over. He took the cloth from it and unwrapped it, seeing the blades gleam when light reflected off of it. She then explained that it held the same type of material the Forerunners would use for their blades before using hard light.

Ren and Nora's knives were simple serrated edge survival knives, nothing special. His though... his was almost an exact replica of Emile's kukri. From an outside perspective, one would assume Emile and him didn't like each other, but both of them did. Throughout his time with Noble Team, he viewed Emile as a brother-in-arms, the same with the others. One would say he opened up a minuscule amount, but still retained his loner personality. After their deaths though, he shut himself off from feeling human. In Six's eyes, it was better to feel like a machine rather than human if it meant keeping himself in check.

He would forfeit his emotions and seal himself off about their deaths. That didn't mean he would forget them though.

Shaking his head about these thoughts, he had the Monitor direct him to the grid down one of the halls. There was a holographic screen and he swiped twice, picking his location and confirming it. He waited for it to finish preparing before stepping on it, feeling every molecule in his body tugged slightly before everything returned to normal. The facility near Mount Glenn was only a few weeks away from his favorite settlement, as opposed to the main one, which was a couple of months. He walked for the next several minutes out of the facility and eventually made it out, rolling his shoulders a bit and cracking his neck on the way.

Days and nights seemed to drag on as he walked through the wilderness. They felt longer than before and something didn't seem right. Everything felt off the closer he got to the settlement, and he even skipped some of the ones he preferred on the way. A week had passed by and he could tell that something was wrong, that something had happened while he was in Patch. The second week of travel went by and that feeling of dread seemed to fester in his system. It was night, around eleven-thirty, when the settlement came into his view.

As he entered the settlement, he noticed that everyone was looking in one direction. Even the guards at the gate were looking and didn't say anything when he walked in the settlement and made his way to the poorer district. His footsteps barely made a noise as he walked in the street and towards the crowd. The air was tense as he approached and nobody noticed him approaching them.

He set his hands on some shoulders and gently pushed people aside, gaining the attention of several others. They looked at him and he noticed that there were tears in some of their eyes, one pair turned away with a sickened face. All he did was continue to silently push them aside as he approached a familiar house, one that held nothing but a empathetic, humble family. Some of the guild members tried to stop him with pleading arms, trying to coax him away... he wasn't listening to them. They started to get desperate and several of them stood in front of him, trying to push him away. All he did was set his hands on their shoulders and push them aside, making them cast several worried looks at one another as they watched him walk up to the door.

His hand wrapped around the door handle and twisted, pushing it open in an agonizingly slow manner. The small sense of illumination seemed to bleed into the unusually dark house. When the door was wide enough open, a puddle of blood was the first thing he saw on the ground. His gaze started to trail up to the visceral sight ahead of him. His right hand gripped the side of the door frame tightly, squeezing it to the point where a loud crack was heard. Some of the denizens flinched at the sudden sound, but he paid them no mind. All the sound around him seemed to drown out and he only stared at the sight in front of him. His pupils seemed to shrink a bit the longer he looked.

Myne's family was lying there in front of him, in a large pool of their blood. The father had multiple stab wounds in his chest, neck area, and stomach. His stomach was ripped open, spreading his entrails all over the ground. There were signs of struggle around the house, but he just stared at the man in front of him. Each wound were targeted at several sensitive locations, making him die in agony. The mother was the same, countless stab wounds along her chest and neck and she was slumped against a wall. Myne's sister, who was a year older than her, had one stab wound in her chest, and was lying in the opening of her room. From the looks of it, she had tried to run to her room and lock the door... to escape her demise, only to fail in the end.

He entered the house and stared at the bodies. What happened? Why... why did this have to happen to them? A good, hard working family that was loved among the community for their warm nature. Was it because they associated with him? Was he the reason as to why they were lying their in a pool of their own blood? That begged the question, why was Myne not with them? Where was she?

His question was answered when he heard tiny sniffles faintly. It was so quiet that he had to listen carefully in order to hear it. His feet carried to the location where it was at its strongest and his motion tracker picked up a faint, tiny blip. He stepped into the girls' room and opened the door, seeing countless drawings and two beds. The sniffling got louder and he stepped closer to the smaller bed, pushing it aside and seeing a rather small trap door. He opened it carefully and saw Myne curled up in the fetal position, shielding herself with her arms.

Tiny sobs of fear escaped her lips as she awaited her death. His hands gently made contact with her arms, making her look up at him tentatively. She tried to blink back her tears and weakly raised her arms, making him sling his hands underneath them and pick her up. Almost instantly, she buried her head in his hood, letting out more quiet sobs of anguish. His right hand pulled his hood off and he shielded her eyes as he stepped out of the room, keeping his eyes forward to avoid looking at the bodies.

He stepped outside and saw everyone's eyes widen at the sight of her, slowly crowding him and trying to coax her off of him. She didn't budge and instead increased her grip on him, letting out those terrified sobs whenever someone came into contact with her. The air went silent as everyone just looked at him then back at the house, before dispersing slightly when the guild members and authorities came up. While they scolded him for stepping onto a crime scene, they didn't say too much seeing how he found her.

Myne just sobbed for the next several minutes, breaking everyone's hearts. He just stared at the house as the bodies were soon had sheets placed on them and carried out. There was a tug on his hood and he looked to see her look at him, eyes red and slightly puffy from the amount of tears that shed.

"Can I s-stand?" She sniffled.

"..." He nodded and set her down gently, holding onto her when she stumbled a bit. She clutched his cloak tightly and stared at the house, using her free hand to try and wipe away her tears. Pretty soon, tape was placed around the house and the crowd was ushered away. The two of them just stared at the house that once held so many memories and she started to cry some more, but he didn't care.

His mind seemed to imagine when he was found in his home, mother and father slaughtered by the Covenant. It took an entire day for the UNSC to find him in that little space beneath the house; staring through the opening in the hatch as he watched the carnage happen around him. He literally watched his entire world fall apart and was only found due to making noise. The UNSC had found him, a broken child that was nothing short of a husk of his former self.

He looked down when he felt Myne clutch his cloak tightly and looked up to see some of the authorities approach. They must have noticed him tense up because they suddenly stopped, only continuing when he relaxed slightly. Both of them bent down to her level and gently eased their way into answers, nothing short of little questions. He listened carefully for any information that would help find out who did this. Their questions had to end sooner than they would like when they realized they were upsetting her greatly.

She looked up at him and made a grabbing gesture, making him pick her up and let her cry into the nape of his neck some more. He looked at the two officers and listened to them; they wanted to meet with Myne in two days to see if she could shed some light on the killer, and that they'd ask around to see if anyone had seen anything. All he did was stare at them and listen intently, coming up with a plan to catch this killer and make him pay. Apparently, there had been two more deaths near one of the gates, two guards had tried to stop the man and perished.

They left shortly after, presumably to help clean up the house. Neither of them tried to take Myne away from him when they saw how protective he became when someone got close. He just watched them leave before walking towards a location, he needed to get her somewhere safe and the clinic seemed to be the best option. Not only would they be able to check up on her, but also get her psychologically evaluated.

Her head slumped against his right shoulder and he could hear the shaky, anguished breaths she was taking. She had ended up crying herself to sleep and he didn't blame her. Pretty soon it was just the two of them on the lonely street. His hood was down and his cloak flowed gently in the wind.

She was a stray, just like two others he found years ago.

* * *

He stayed in the clinic with her for the next couple of days, either leaning against the wall or sitting down as she was getting checked on. The only time he really left was to go to the bathroom or get more supplies. Shortly after leaving, he would return just as quick and offer her what little comfort he could muster up, which was nothing short of just being next to her. He didn't have any words to say because that wasn't his specialization; just the mere presence was enough for her. His social skills were still as adequate as before. Providing comfort wasn't something he was used to yet. She only talked to him, even when the doctor had tried to get her to talk, she just remained silent. The same could be said with the authorities, the only reason they had information was because he had to relay it to them. Even then it was barely anything seeing how she was hidden and didn't get a good look at the man.

Her parents tried to defend them while her sister had hid her and tried to lock the door. The only thing Myne could do was curl up in a ball in that little space and hope it was quick, only to hear commotion outside and the man leave shortly after.

The only thing she could get out was that it was male and he laughed laughed, like this was some sick game to him. Just the thought was enough to bring her into another fit of anguish, prompting them to leave. There wasn't much the authorities in the settlement could do seeing how the man escaped shortly after, and the guild members would offer what services they could. He didn't blame them if they couldn't do anything, half of them had tried their hardest and always came up empty handed.

Eventually, she cried herself to sleep once more and that was when he left to find clues. He asked around, only finding the faintest of clues and even then it was better than nothing. The people around the settlement, the ones that knew, gave him whatever amount of information they had. Even the authorities had decided to give him information when they realized that the killer was out in the wild. It was out of their jurisdiction and half of them weren't trained to go out and find the killer beyond the walls. Not everyone in the settlement was capable of going outside the walls; battling against the Grimm, elements, and this killer at the same time.

He was out for four hours, gathering information and piecing it together carefully. From what he gathered from the countless witnesses; the man was pale, appeared to be a faunus, an x-shaped scar on his chest and one on his stomach, a trench coat, and white pants. While it wasn't much, it was enough to start his search for the man. He started to walk back to the clinic, waiting at the desk and walking towards the room she was at when the receptionist let him through. His large body lumbered through the hallways and he eventually came to her room, seeing her staring blankly at the sheets.

There was a bag near the bed full of clothes and other supplies. She flinched when he opened the door but relaxed when she realized it was him, clutching a stuffed rabbit doll closely. He picked up her bag and set it on the bed, sifting through it carefully and bringing out several items. Clothes, hygienic items, some personal belongings, some lien and a note folded neatly. She watched as he opened it and started to read it carefully.

_"Six, while we may not have known you for all your life, or ours for the matter, we do see you as someone who is valuable. If you're reading this, then it means something has happened to us and we would like for you to take care of the girls. Now, we know it sounds like we're throwing the entire world onto you, and we apologize for that, but you are the only person we trust. Despite us being cherished among the community, we really didn't talk to a lot of people, and you're one of the only ones we could truly call a friend. Both of us know you like to travel and that you are constantly helping people around the frontier, possibly the world, but it would mean everything if you look after them. If you cannot do it alone, then perhaps Maaya would be willing to help. There is no shame in asking for help._

_We also had left some of our savings to help with caring for the girls, so you are not completely starting from the nothing. You're a wonderful person, so don't sell yourself short. You're important to us as much as the girls. Also, if we are dead by the time you read this... scatter us across the land with the girls and let our ashes be carried in the wind. _

_Yours truly, the parents." _He finished reading the note in silence then folded it back, placing it in the bag along with the other items. Myne looked at him and sat forward, letting her legs dangle off the bed. The air was silent and he put his arms underneath hers and lifted her up, setting her on the ground carefully then bending down to her level.

"It would be beneficial for us to go outside." He said.

"Okay..." She nodded, watching as he left the room for her to get dressed. A few minutes went by and she stepped out of the room, clutching his cloak tightly and the two of them walked outside. She seemed to shrink away at everyone's gaze and clutched his cloak tighter while he just walked at a good speed, suitable enough for him and slow enough to where she wouldn't tire out so quickly. The two of them walked around town, getting fresh air and letting the sun encase them. There wasn't a destination in mind and they just merely wandered around, like he did his first years of being on Remnant.

The day started to drip away and he walked to the guild with her, stopping to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way. It took several minutes, but they eventually managed to get there. As soon as he opened up the door and entered, he set her down and countless eyes were on them. She flinched when several people cast her looks of condolences, making her squeak when some tried to approach. He looked down when she wormed her way into his cloak and clutched his leg. It felt safe being shielded from everything at the moment.

Maaya saw him look at the board, as did several of the members. While some could only shake their heads, her and some of the others saw him take several bounties, more than what he usually took. She had guessed it was his way to keep his mind off the deaths. He walked up to the counter, putting them on and waiting patiently for her to stamp them, to which she did, sending him several worried glances after each glance. To the surprise of everyone else, he just went to a corner of the room and sat down, letting his cloak spread out a bit and for Myne to get more comfortable.

She saw him just... sit there, not moving and just being there for Myne. When the little girl needed something to eat, he brought out a can of food and opened it for her. Bathroom breaks were quick and he just waited outside until she was done, before the two of them went back to their spot. Nobody in the guild tried to get close, whenever someone did, they would back off after a few seconds. Everyone, with the exception of Myne, felt that suffocating feeling. It wasn't directed at them, thankfully, but it did make several of them shake in their boots severely. To them, it was like they were placed in a box and thrown to the bottom of the ocean.

Hours passed by slowly, several people sent him glances and some whispered but he ignored them. His mind was focused on finding this killer; how he would break him and extract any sensitive information he had, before ripping him apart. Six was literally going to rip this man apart, he didn't care if he looked like a monster doing it. Not only had this man murdered the family, but he had murdered two guards on the way out for no reason. Maybe there was a reason... maybe it was because of him. If it meant distancing himself from Myne to keep her safe, then he'd do it. Though, he did promise to spread the ashes and take care of her. He needed to get back to the UNSC and he would do that regardless, but he would make time to care for Myne.

He would do both. Yes, it would be extremely difficult, but it could be worked around. Careful planning was required in order for this to work. This was a troublesome situation but it would be able to be adapted to.

The sound of shoes met his ears and he tensed up, only to relax slightly when he saw it was only Maaya. She looked stressed, much more than what he was comfortable with, but still held on strong. He watched as she adjusted her clothes before sitting down next to him, sending Myne a compassionate look as the little girl slept. For some reason, Maaya always did take deaths like these harder than most. Every death of people she knew and even of the guild members always seemed to put some weight on her. She seemed to develop a sense of guilt for seemingly sending people to their deaths.

Though, no one blamed her. They knew the risks despite being warned and the only thing she could do was deny them bounties that were out of their skill level. What happened on the bounty was not up to her.

"The authorities had found some clues about this killer. There had been murders like this in the past and after countless cold cases, they managed to find a name." She said.

"What is it?" He asked evenly, listening intently.

"From what the cases say, he goes by several names, but some witnesses say his name last name is Callows. I don't know exactly how much truth is in these though, there are so many variations of him." She said.

"... How did you get this information?" He asked.

"The authorities usually share information to the guild sometimes, cases like these are no exception. It's more or less for people to be aware of the threat and to stay safe. It also gives some skilled guild members authority to go after the person beyond the settlement walls. We're not like the city and can't afford to keep things like these under wraps. Settlements like these, word often spreads fast and it's better to be truthful with people... even if it means hurting them." She sighed.

"... I need your assistance." He said after a while. She blinked at him and nodded a bit, watching as he adjusted Myne into a more comfortable position.

"Sure." She said. It wasn't like him to ask for help, but she realized he wasn't doing this for himself, he was doing it for the girl that had lost her family recently.

"I need your assistance in taking care of Myne. Child care is not my specialty, nor will it ever be. I do believe that if Myne is in a stable environment with an individual such as yourself, she will recover." He explained.

"What makes you think I'm any good at taking care of kids? I can't make any of them listen to me." She said.

"Those are beginning guild members, they are different. I cannot take her outside the walls at the moment, as it is too dangerous. There are several factors I must take into consideration if I am doing my deeds, the most troublesome is caring for Myne. In time, I will work something out." He stared forward.

"... You're going after the man, aren't you. That's why you took so many bounties, isn't it? Using them to get rid of the Grimm and as cover to go after him?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and continued to look forward.

"I'll.. I'll help. My roommate moved in with her boyfriend so I have a free room after all these years." She cleared her throat. His silence just confirmed the fact that he was going after a dangerous serial killer, but she knew he was able to get it done. Despite his calm, collected tone at the moment, she saw through it. She knew he was angry, that mask he put up just covered the hurricane of fury he was harboring, it was so well that almost she didn't see it. A part of her shuddered to think what it looked like if he let his emotions run unchecked.

Nobody in the guild was exempt from feeling the aura of wrath he seemed to keep locked in. It was frightening to think that he was able to keep his emotions in check so well. She was just glad he wasn't diverting it towards just anyone, only the person who did this. That person was foolish enough to evoke the wrath of the Wolf of the Frontier. It was better to leave him alone than to mettle with something so frightening.

"Thank you..." He looked towards her.

"Anytime." She closed her eyes and smiled warmly, tilting her head a bit. He nodded then turned back to Myne, putting his hand on her shoulder when she hiccuped in her sleep. He would let Maaya ease her way into her heart while he hunted this man down in the meantime. From that point on, he would start figuring out a plan for the two while still continuing his mission to get into contact with the UNSC. His objectives were clear, and were going to be put into motion with careful planning. For now though...

The wolf had new prey to hunt. One that he'd rip to shreds violently.

* * *

**Hey guys, I just want to thank you guys for reading this. I usually would answer your reviews but I think every once in a while I'll skip reviews for a chapter or two. It's nothing personal against you guys, cause I enjoy some of the reviews. Seriously, you guys rock and are great, but it just gives me a slight break. I still read them and will answer questions for the next chapter when it comes out, just not this one. So I noticed that you guys have been wondering about Raven and how Six got here, which is two main issues with the story, but I do have a plan for them. I don't know how I'll implement it into the story yet, but I will try. The former is already being planned out, but the latter is a little tricky. Rest assured, I'll come up with something.**

**So I noticed that there was a debate about good guys and bad guys in the review section; so I'll just stay middle ground. There aren't really heroes or villains in this story to be honest. Sure Six may be the protagonist, but I prefer him to just be neutral. In some cases he's a hero and in other cases, he's a villain. It's more about perspective with different groups of people. I wasn't really picking sides when I started to expand upon this story or his character. At most, I just tried to paint how a Spartan would be, nothing more or less.**

**I uh... don't really have much to say other than thanks for everything guys. You guys are awesome people, and don't worry about me. I'm just gonna take it easy for a bit, nothing too serious. Play some video games, study so I can get ahead of the game when school starts up again, try to find some more work, just relax a bit. Anyways, I'll see you all in the next chapter. Take it easy, you guys.**


	19. Chapter 19: The Violent Hunt

Six had woken Myne up before standing up, once she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she caught sight of Maaya bending down to her level. She gave a frightful squeak and dove into his cloak, hiding herself from the older woman. He looked down and gently pried her hands from his leg and slightly nudged her out of the cloak. Once again, she tried to get back in, but he wouldn't have that at the moment. After a few minutes, she seemed to bend and come out but stood behind him.

"Myne, this is Maaya." He said.

"Hello." Maaya greeted.

"... Who is she?" Myne looked up at him.

"She is a friend. She is also the one who will help care for you." He said. She looked up at him then at Maaya, before looking back at him. Her hands clutched his cloak tighter and she shook her head before crying into it. To her, this was like replacing her family; but to him, it was nothing short of the necessary. He was aware that she was still broken from the deaths of them, but this wasn't to replace them. This was just a mere means to give her a stable environment to grow in. She couldn't just travel with him all around, it was too dangerous, especially with all these parties against him. The only thing he let her do was cry for the next few minutes, letting her tears soak the cloth.

Maaya just waited patiently, not at all being bothered by the girl's distrust towards her. She understood the emotional turmoil she was experiencing and would try to work around it. If the little girl didn't want to talk or be alone for a while, then she wouldn't push. He started to walk out the door at a speed in which Myne could keep up, only stopping when Maaya locked up. The three of them walked down the sidewalk in silence. Nothing needed to be said as they walked to the apartment. He would spend a few hours there then leave when they were asleep to hunt this man.

The street lights turned on by the time they arrived at the apartment complex. He waited for Maaya to unlock the door and hold it open for him while he just nudged Myne inside the building. It was nice and clean and they stepped inside the elevator, only for him to stop at the entrance. Both of them looked at him before he entered and waited for Maaya to press the third floor button. There was a nice jingle to it before they opened and the three of them stepped outside. They immediately took a right and walked towards the third room.

He saw a name tag on the door and watched as she unlocked it before opening it, waiting for them to step inside before shutting it. The apartment was nice; with cream colored walls, marble counter tops in the kitchen with wooden floors, and a hallway that led to two rooms and a bathroom. The washer and dryer was at the end of the hall in a tiny space. A glass kitchen table wasn't too far off from the kitchen. The living room transitioned from the wooden floor of the kitchen to a white carpet. It had a light brown sofa with a coffee table in front of it and a T.V across from it surrounded by an entertainment stand. Countless movies stocked each shelf and there were a few pictures on top of it.

"I don't really have another bed at the moment, so she can use mine for the time being. At the very least, we have food for a bit since I just went grocery shopping recently." Maaya rubbed the back of her neck.

"This is fine." He said, going to the open room with a bed. Myne got changed into her pajamas and he set her on the bed, letting her feet dangle. The next several minutes was spent making sure she wasn't hungry, brushed her teeth, went to the bathroom, and comfortable. She saw Maaya enter the room and grab some clothes, sending a warm smile and a friendly wave before leaving shortly after. Her eyes trailed back up to his visor and he stood up to his full height, about to leave before she grabbed his hand.

"Can... can you just stay here? Until I fall asleep?" She asked quietly.

"..." He nodded after several seconds and just took off his cloak, covering her in it before sitting down on the ground. Almost immediately, she clutched the tattered cloth and wrapped it around her. Minutes turned to tens of minutes before her eyelids started to become heavy, doing her best to stay awake. Forty minutes passed by and she dozed off, tossing and turning every so often. He waited an extra ten minutes to make sure she was asleep before carefully untangling her from his cloak and covering her in the soft blanket.

His boots barely made a sound as he crept outside of the room and closed the door with a soft click, plunging the room in darkness. He walked down the hallway and entered the living room, seeing Maaya in the kitchen. She was washing dishes and humming a bit. As she turned around, she jumped in surprise and dropped the plate, flinching when his hand lashed out quickly and caught it. He handed it back to her and she blinked a bit before laughing sheepishly.

"Thank you." She breathed. Believe it or not, this was actually her first time seeing him without his cloak. While she knew he wore armor underneath the dirty looking cloth, she really didn't expect him to look like a machine built for war. She finished washing the dishes while he went to the living room and sat down on the ground, taking his bag and spreading its contents. As she finished drying them and put them away, she disappeared in the other room to get changed, coming out a few minutes later. He looked back and saw her wearing a lavender nightdress, wrapping the thin robe around herself.

A blanket and pillow were in her hand and he scooted forward when she started to set up the couch, placing the pillow down on the arm rest and sitting down. She watched as he took his weapon apart and cleaned it carefully. Putting it back together in the same manner and aiming it before setting it down on the ground. A scraping noise met her ears as she watched him sharpen his throwing knives then set them back down. She knew what he was doing, he was getting ready for this hunt and nothing was going to stop him, especially faulty gear.

Despite him not saying anything, she saw that he was taking the deaths hard. The family had practically grown on him, and that was nearly impossibly to do. She knew the moment he took eleven bounties and wouldn't budge even if she tried to stop him. Keeping himself busy was the way to keep his mind off of them, and she doubted that he would even attempt to talk to someone.

"This is a list of things Myne needs to do regularly." He said as he jotted down the actions on a piece of paper, handing them to her. She took them and read them as she lied down on the couch. It wasn't anything too hard, just give Myne her medicine at whenever she was showing symptoms of an illness, read to her since she loved books, feed her healthy foods and sometimes let her indulge in sweets, and overall just be there for her.

"I can do these." She nodded. To her, it really wasn't that hard. She was used to handling countless documents at the guild and being swarmed by dozens of people eager for them, so these little instructions was considered child's play.

"I do not know when I will return." He said after several seconds of silence.

"So long as you return, I think we'll be okay." She said, then noticed him bring out the box with the pendants and a cloth. He opened the box and put on one of the remaining three then shut it shortly after. It went quiet for a while and she wanted to ask how he was, to actually make sure he was alright and not blaming himself for their deaths, but nothing came out. The only thing she did was watch him maintain his gear and craft some items. She turned the T.V on and his eyes trailed up to it before going back to his things.

There wasn't really anything on at the moment and she stuck her tongue out before flickering through the channels. His eyes trailed up to it and he shook his head at that, opening the cloth and bringing out Ren and Nora's knives. This time, her curiosity got the better of her and she couldn't help but ask.

"Who are those for?" She asked.

"Ren and Nora." He answered curtly.

"Those two children that you taught during their stay here?" She guessed.

"..." He nodded. It was silent for the next several seconds and she had to stifle a laugh, making him look at her then tilt his head.

"Nothing. I just remember when Nora accidentally called you her dad, she looked so embarrassed." She covered her mouth.

"I am not their father." He said evenly.

"Everyone guessed that, Six. You don't have to be their biological father for them to look up to you like one. Nothing is probably going to change their minds in how they see you overall. To them, you're nothing short of that, even if they said you hadn't been in their lives for years." She said.

"They look up to me too much. I do not wish for them to be carbon copies of me." He said.

"And that's okay. They understand that they can never be exactly like you. If anything, they want to be an extension of you." She said.

"I don't quite understand." He said.

"Hmm... I would say they want to be like you, but different. They look up to you and want to be just like you, but they know they can't. So, they decide to be a variation of you; choosing their own path after following yours for a while." She tried to clarify.

"... I understand." He nodded.

"What if they stop by here?" She asked.

"Give them bounties within their skill level. Nothing short of what you usually do. I do not know how long their leave is." He said.

"Leave? You mean summer break?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"It'll probably last until early august. Why?" She asked.

"I do not know how long this will last." He answered.

"Oh..." She said, then turned her eyes back to the T.V and just surfed through the channels. The two of them just basked in silence for a while before she eventually found something to watch. Minutes turned to tens of minutes before that eventually stretched into an hour; her eyes started to droop down and she did her best to stay awake. Eventually, she fell asleep and barely made a noise doing so.

His head perked up and he looked over his shoulder to see her asleep, deciding now would be a good time to leave. He started to pack his bag quietly, loading his weapons and placing his throwing knives on him, before standing up and slinging his cloak on. His bag was thrown over his shoulder and he stared down at her, noticing she didn't cover herself in the blanket. It was unfolded and placed over her gently and he backed up, walking towards the door but stopped halfway. He looked down the hall for a few seconds before looking back at her, then walked towards the door. He opened it quietly and shut it with a soft click.

It was time to find the murderer and rip him apart.

* * *

He walked outside the apartment complex and towards the gate, sending the guards a farewell nod then disappearing into the forest. The next settlement was a couple hours away and he figured gathering clues on this man was the best course of action; what his face looked like, his personality, fighting style, anything that would give him an edge over the man. He'd use everything at his disposal, even the grenades if he needed to. For the most part, he'd take his time with the man. Six wasn't very vindictive despite his quiet nature; he preferred to let his hate be carried through his efficiency and focus. Right now... he was completely focused.

This man was going to die. Slowly. He didn't care if the sniveling waste of skin begged for mercy, because none would be shown. Six wasn't one to let his emotions show often but this time... this time he didn't care. He'd let his silence be an indicator that he absolutely felt nothing but murderous intent for the man, and nothing was going to stop him. Shaking his head at these thoughts, he continued to the next settlement, letting time slip by slowly.

The next settlement barely had any information regarding this man when he asked around. Despite his status, they could only shake their heads about anything, because they truly didn't know. Nobody regarding that description matched or came through. He left shortly after, going to the next one that was a day's walk away. This was okay, the man was living on borrowed time anyways.

As time started to pass, his demeanor shifted back to its original state when he first arrived on Remnant. His calm and collected tone of voice slowly started to shift towards a cold and robotic one, eventually turning him more into a machine state of mind. Every person he talked to and was familiar with noticed this right off the bat; that freezing, ruthless aura that seemed to ooze off of his shoulders. Rooms and establishments suddenly felt several degrees lower than what they were whenever he entered, and it scared some people. Nobody got in his way either, they saw the tranquil fury that he had bottled in and decided it wasn't worth the risk.

Days and nights started to slowly merge together. Towns would smile upon his arrival, only to slowly drop them when they realized he didn't seem all too there. Like his mind was somewhere else; while they understood him for not being able to complete a few bounties, they did notice that he seemed rather... fixated on someone. Their smiles turned to looks of fear when he described someone by the last name of Callows. He noticed their voices turned quiet and his eyes narrowed when they slowly described the person, but only gave him little information.

Two weeks had passed by and it was starting to turn into three at his point in the hunt. Eventually that turned into a month and a half of tracking the man. In the meantime, he collected tools that would be beneficial towards his interrogation. A variety of pliers, for both pulling and cutting, rubbing alcohol, and a rather nasty pain enhancer concoction he had made.

Bits and pieces of information was logged into his brain and picked apart carefully, giving him the name of his prey and some valuable information. Tyrian Callows, a well known serial killer that was completely unhinged in some cases. From what people had described, the man was the epitome of an individual that wanted to watch the world burn for the sheer joy of it. People like that didn't need to be alive and harm innocents, it was better to put them in the ground before they could cause a catastrophic event to occur.

Six didn't want him dead just yet though. He needed information and he would do whatever it took to extract said information; regardless of how many toes and fingers he cut off, teeth he pulled, cuts he made, bones he snapped, flesh was torn, and sanity broken. He didn't care, so long as he got what he needed in the end before ending the miserable sack of skin's life.

Grimm were swiftly killed without batting an eye, all with cold and calculative efficiency. It gave him something to focus on rather than his violent thoughts that started to fester slowly. While not omnipotent, Six did know when someone was leading him. He knew because the clues started to get more evident and they had appeared in the outer settlements more. The last two settlements had been of nothing but cutthroats and mercenaries that didn't see eye to eye with him. He didn't care about them and made it clear that they weren't his target. Despite being hardened through all their years of experience, some couldn't help but shiver when he looked over them. As soon as he got his information, he left shortly after, leaving them to their own devices.

The final settlement he stopped by was one of the most violent ones that he had the displeasure of stopping in. As soon as he entered, everyone stopped and looked at him, hands going towards their weapons slowly and resting on them. He looked around before going towards a bar and opening the door, shutting it not even two seconds later after he entered. The music stopped and every patron looked at him, some flexing their weapons and just decided to eyeball him. He ignored their stares and walked up to the bartender, gazing at him with a flat expression.

"What do you want?" The bartender asked.

"I need information regarding a man that goes by the name, Tyrian Callows." Six answered.

"Tyrian Callows, huh? Information like that'll cost ya." The bartender said as he cleaned a glass. Six didn't say anything and just reached in his bag and pulled out a small pouch, throwing it on the counter and watching as the man picked it up. He opened it and inspected the amount before placing it underneath the counter, before staring up at the Spartan.

"Word is that the sick fuck is near dagger glade about thirteen miles east of here. If you take the trail down there for five miles then cut through the forest to the north east, you'll eventually find it." The man said.

"Anything else?" Six asked.

"Yeah, make sure the bastard pays. He hurt several of my boys for no good reason after we told his scrawny ass to leave. Half of them can't even walk anymore due to that bastard's poison." The bartender bit.

"What type of faunus is he? What type of fighting style does he have?" Six asked.

"From what I could tell, a scorpion. As for his fighting style, you're on your own because even I couldn't tell what the hell it was. You plan on going after him?" The bartender asked.

"..." Six didn't say anything and just stared at him.

"I'll take that as a yes." The bartender said. Six just turned and began to leave before the bartender called him once more, making him turn around.

"What?" Six asked.

"...Make sure you don't show your face around here anymore. I didn't take too kindly to you killing my cousin a few years back, along with some of his guys, when he gave you information about that sick fuck's mansion. Only reason I don't send my boys to go after you is because I actually give a shit about my life, and I know you'll kill us in the end." The bartender said.

"..." Six just stared at him before leaving shortly after. He wouldn't come back unless he absolutely needed to. His business was done, and he had enough information to find out where Callows was. It was time for him to catch his prey.

* * *

As Six walked on the path, his thoughts went back to Myne's family. It was an odd topic to think about sometimes. Times like these made him realize why getting attached to people was an issue, and made him keep them at arm's length. Every time he started to become attached, the universe seemed to always rip away the person he had come to enjoy being around. It seemed like it was genuinely out to get him and make his life a living hell, but he shook his heads of these thoughts. He knew that the universe didn't discriminate who lived and who died, it's just how things were.

Although... he did come to enjoy the family's presence in his life. They were some of the few people that actually made him feel like a man rather than a machine. Them, along with Maaya, made him feel like he was actually human again; not some weapon at the disposal of others or some cheaper copy of Spartan-II. They made him feel like he was actually somebody that people looked forward to seeing again. He wasn't a freak, a monster, or some reckless killer... he was just Six to them. The quiet wanderer that helped people around the frontier without expecting too much in return.

They were the little light in the dark abyss he called life, every single one of them was. Now though... now some of that light was extinguished forever, all because of an unhinged serial killer. For the first time in a very long time, he felt something more than anger. That murderous intent that slowly would ooze from his body and would make the people in the area cower. People often didn't realize it was coming from him until they got close enough. It truly terrified them at times.

He stepped off the path after walking for several miles and took a left into the brush. He had his shotgun out and carried it as the wild seemed to guide him. Dirt clung to his boots and the branches from bushes would scrape against his cloak, but he paid no mind. The leaves above swayed gently as wind picked up a bit. The hours seemed to drone on as did the miles. Before he knew it, it was evening and the sun started to go down slowly. Shadows started to envelope the surrounding area and he eventually came across a clearing. He pulled out his map and looked at it, then looked up and gazed around, before finally looking back at his map and putting it away. This was the location.

The ground below him was completely bare, no flowers, bushes, or shrubs near him. The trees were spread out and the branches seemed to interconnect, creating a large shaded area during the daytime. A small river on his left had a few fish in it and would lead to a large body of water a couple of miles away. He looked around and saw a small camp. His eyes scanned the area around him and he approached the camp slowly, scanning around with his shotgun carefully. Nothing was on his motion tracker yet but he knew better.

The closer he got, the more his instincts blared in alarm. When he took his final step towards the camp, he suddenly jumped backwards when a snap of the branches above met his ears and a figure slammed into the spot he was at. He aimed his shotgun and fired once, frowning when the figure flew out of the way and charged at him, covering ground in an instant. He fired again and they flipped over him, aiming at his back but he turned around and blocked it with his weapon. The person jumped up and kicked the gun, effectively putting distance between the two. He watched as they jumped up and landed on a branch up in the one of the trees.

"Ah! I knew you would come! Those clues I left were only for a smart individual such as yourself." The voice said. Six knew who it was, the murderer he had been hunting for the past month and a half. The pale man with yellow eyes, scars on his chest, a brown ponytail braided to resemble a scorpion's tail, and slender figure. He watched as the man bowed dramatically as he addressed him.

"..." Six just narrowed his eyes dangerously as he observed the man. He droned him out and just took in his features, his mannerisms, creating a plan and deciding what resources to use. From what he had gathered, the man was erratic with his attacks, using his unpredictable nature to fool his opponents.

"You were said to be quiet. My goodness, from what the locals have said, you were skilled and unpredictable. Just like me, we're two peas in a pod-" Tyrian suddenly stopped when a throwing knife was sent his way. He moved out of the side then had to dodge several DMR rounds quickly, each shot getting closer to hitting his body.

"..." Six just fired several more shots at him before watching the man jump into the trees. He reloaded his weapon and aimed around carefully, scanning every spot he heard movement at and saw leaves fall, while keeping an eye on his motion tracker. There was a sound to his left and he swung the barrel at the spot, firing once and seeing Tyrian spin around the round and over him. He slashed as Six, but he was ready this time and slammed the rifle against his chest, making him fly backwards.

"You hit hard. I think you might be my new favorite person!" Tyrian cackled at the throbbing pain. His heart was racing and the excitement just made him more eager. He suddenly lunged at Six and slashed his blades at him, grinning like a madman when the Spartan would move out of the way. His glee only skyrocketed when Six pulled out his knife and spread his feet a bit. Tyrian rushed at Six and started to erratically swipe low, thriving when the vibrations of each deflect would go through his arm. He bent down low to the ground when Six swiped at him and kicked his feet up in hopes of striking the taller man.

Six just leaned backwards at the kick and jumped back a bit, watching as the faunus dusted himself off and fixed the sleeves of his coat.

"I will admit, you do know how to step up your game when it comes to fighting. I was afraid this whole ordeal would be boring." Tyrian said dramatically. Another reason to hate the man in front of him.

"Your reason for killing the family. What was it?" Six asked after some time, he figured he'd ask now before he broke the man.

"Oh? So killing them did bring you out. Good, my reason for killing them? I really didn't have a reason, in all seriousness, I could have left them alive and found another way to draw you out. It sure was fun doing it though. The father put up a good fight, so I kind of took my time with him. Ah, the beautiful mother, she had tried to fight but alas she failed in the end. The older sister... I actually had no intention of killing her, but you never look a gift horse in the mouth. The youngest though... I truly did want to kill her, especially since I was already doing it, but the townspeople were coming so I had to make my leave before things got too hectic. Traumatizing her would have to though. I even got the chance to get these magnificent pendants." Tyrian said proudly as he fished in his pocket and brought out four wolf pendants.

Six's pupils shrunk considerably and his fists clenched. Gravity around the two seemed to suddenly increase and the air felt colder, so much that even Tyrian shuddered a bit. He faintly heard the sound of flexing and peered closer to look at Six, before his grin started to widen. It seemed he had struck a nerve, which was what he was aiming for. He was eager for his reward from the grace, that he didn't notice the murderous intent roll off of Six's shoulders.

The sound around Six seemed to drown out as he let the feeling fester and release a bit before taking a few breaths and let it go shortly after. His entire focus was on the faunus in front of him. He felt his human side slowly leave and the machine took over shortly after. He bent down and condensed the muscles in his legs. With a sudden burst of speed, Six shot off like a rocket and was already on Tyrian, slashing downwards and barely catching him. He slashed horizontally at his stomach and suddenly sent his left fist out, striking Tyrian in his chest.

"Hrk!" Tyrian choked on some saliva as he felt an overwhelming force slam into one of his ribs. His aura flickered a bit and he was suddenly tumbling alongside the ground, crashing into a tree a second later. He barely had time to stand up and flip out of the way before a large foot slammed into the tree trunk and created a large hole in it. He went up to Six and slashed at him while he was ripping his foot out, striking his chest and tearing the fabric of the cloth. He had to jump back when Six's foot lashed out and he slashed him with his knife, flipping it into a reverse grip and slashing at him again.

Sparks illuminated the ground below as the two of them viciously struck at one another for then next fifteen minutes. Six had to admit, this man was faster than what he had expected. Half of the fight was just trying to catch him and land an actual strike on him. Both of them seemed like blurs from an outside view. He was like a skirmisher that knew how to maneuver its body times ten. In reality, Six was just tiring him out, little by little.

Tyrian ripped off his coat and flexed his tail before striking quickly at Six. His tail had managed to pierce the cloak and he grinned wildly when it looked like he impacted something, only to scrunch his eyebrows together in confusion when all he felt was air. A fist quickly slammed into his stomach and made spit fly out and he looked down to see Six's fist embedded in his midsection. He was sent flying through the air once again and he felt something slam into his chest.

Six knew the moment Tyrian threw his coat off, he was going to use his tail, which is why he threw his cloak up as cover. This gave him the opportunity to counter the attack with an uppercut to his stomach. He charged at Tyrian as he slammed into a tree and then slammed his shoulder into his chest, crushing him further. He started to strike him in the chest several times with quick jabs before elbowing him in his jaw. While he was stunned, he quickly threw him away from him when he saw the stinger flex and prepare to strike at him.

"So it seems you're getting serious... good!" Tyrian coughed a bit before flexing his hands. The sounds of guns being armed made Six activate his armor lock as rounds seemed to pelt him viciously. His motion tracker caught his opponent running around him while cackling like a mad man. It seemed like forever, but Tyrian stopped firing and lunged at Six, his blades armed and his tail at the ready. When he was close enough, he suddenly lashed out with his tail, only to be thrown back when the EMP from the armor lock went off. He skid across the ground and flexed his tail a bit before quickly dashing at Six, sending out several lighting quick strikes before jumping back. Each strike was either parried or avoided, sometimes he was even hit. The final punch Six had managed to get on him made his aura flicker and shatter.

"..." Six saw this and brought out his shotgun, firing until it went empty, hoping to at least strike his opponent. He quickly put it away when he realized each round or shell fired would be dodged. He tensed his muscles then bent down a bit before dashing towards the man. Tyrian barely had time to react before Six suddenly swung his right fist, making the faunus dodge before he followed up with an uppercut to his jaw.

Tyrian gave out a cry of pain and started to laugh a bit at it as he flew through the air. As he started to flip backwards, Six suddenly gripped his tail tightly then swung him to the ground violently. A small crater was made from the impact of the slam before another one formed as Six slammed Tyrian once more. He suddenly threw the faunus into a tree and quickly closed the distance in less than a second.

"Ha!" Tyrian laughed sadistically as his tail struck out and managed to reach around and strike Six in his unarmored part on his back. Everything went quiet when Tyrian's eyes started to glow purple and his grin widened. The shields on Six's suit blared in alarm when they were gone and he stared at the man in front of him. Tyrian's grin slowly dropped and his eyes widened in alarm when Six quickly reached around gripped part of it tightly. He reared his right hand up and backhanded him onto the ground while his left kept a tight grip on the middle of the stinger.

A large boot slammed onto his back and he gave out a cry of pain. Six's hands gripped the tail and he slowly started to rip it off, ignoring the appendage wrapping around his arm tightly and thrashing around. He ignored the thrashing beneath him and he continued to twist and pull, feeling the tension before the sound of tearing met his ears. Several long seconds went by and the tail was held by nothing but strands of flesh before being violently ripped from its user. A bloodcurdling scream met his ears as he threw the tail away and quickly jumped back a bit when globs of substance impacted the ground, melting it with a loud sizzling noise.

"You bastard!" Tyrian bellowed. He looked at Six, then at his tail, before looking back at him for a few seconds. Eventually, he turned and started to run realizing that he was slightly out of his league. The sound of a large figure chasing after him made him look over his shoulder, widening his eyes when he saw Six chasing after him. He turned his head back forward and pumped his legs faster; all it did was make Six chase after him, pushing his body to its limits when Tyrian started to springboard off of trees.

As minutes passed, Tyrian realized that Six was different from every target he was sent after. He realized that the man beneath the armor was something entirely different. Each strike he would send at him was meant to disable him. He soon realized that he was just a mere pest compared to an apex predator, something that could never be thrown from its spot. An odd feeling seemed to well up in Tyrian the more he ran and realized the thing chasing him slowly started to gain ground on him.

He felt fear. Genuine fear that this... demon, was chasing him and waiting for him to tire himself out. That seemed to be the desired effect because he started to slow down just a tad bit, enough for the thing behind him to catch him.

Six suddenly burst forward with great speed and tackled Tyrian, rolling with him and slamming him onto the ground. He quickly stood up and violently struck him in one of his ribs before picking him up and punching him into a boulder. It broke apart easily and he watched the man tumble and skid along the ground for a several meters before quickly getting up and starting to run. He quickly brought out his kukri and threw it, watching as the blade entered the back of Tyrian's knee and exit through the front. An odd scream met his ears as he watched the man give a mixture between a laugh and a painful scream. It seemed he was a sadomasochist... good.

"Let's talk about this. No need to be hasty." Tyrian gestured as he backed up while trying to remove the blade. He noticed that Six continued to stalk towards him with clenched fists, making him start to remove the blade.

"..." Six just walked towards him and ignored his pleas for a conversation. When he was next to Tyrian, he suddenly reared his foot back and slammed it against his face, rendering him unconscious. He made sure to hold back in order to avoid killing him. He ripped the kukri out and wrapped the wound in a bandage before taking one of his legs and snapping it at an odd angle. He started to fish through the pockets of his opponent and soon found four wolf pendants, staring at them before carefully placing them around his neck. He then grabbed him by his ponytail and dragged him across the dirt, leaving a rather large trail of blood in its wake.

The prey was only allowed to die when Six gave him permission to. Other than that, he'd take his time breaking the man.

* * *

Six had disarmed Tyrian as soon as he dropped him near the area they were fighting at. He then went to his bag and tied him up tightly against a tree and looked at his torn off stinger. A few seconds of silence went by and Six gripped it and went back to his bag, taking out three bottles and started to milk the stinger of its venom; this could come in handy for the future. He then put them away and threw the stinger away before walking up to Tyrian and staring at him for a few seconds, raising his foot and slamming it on his left leg. A loud snap was heard and he watched as Tyrian jolted awake and screamed a bit as the bone from his shin was jutting out.

"Your superior, who is it?" Six asked calmly. It was almost too calm in Tyrian's opinion; this wasn't a man, it was purely machine at this point.

"Oh? Are you curious? Too bad, you haven't been very polite. I'll only tell you if you start showing some proper manners." Tyrian grinned through the pain.

"..." Six stared at him before bending down and gripping the exposed bone. He watched as Tyrian's eyes widened slightly before he started to slowly pull, ripping skin and muscle. A strained cry and gasp met his ears but he paid no mind to it. With a sudden jerk, blood gushed from the open wound and he twisted the bone violently, snapping it even more. He grabbed a bandage and tightly wrapped the wound before gripping the jagged bone he snapped off. Blood caked his fingers as he inspected it, rotating it every so often before looking back at his victim. A few seconds of deafening silence went by before he suddenly stabbed Tyrian in his right eye. Like a wet balloon, it burst open and gushed copious amounts of blood all over his torso.

A scream echoed for miles and scared birds in the distance. Six just gripped Tyrian's head and kept it in place while he slowly started to twist the bone, creating a disgusting gushing noise.

"Who?" Six asked calmly, digging the jagged shin bone even further.

"T-Try harder..." Tyrian calmed down and laughed in agony.

Six just stared at him before slamming the back of his head against the tree and ripping the bone out. He went to his bag and fished through it, bringing out some isopropyl, before walking back to Tyrian. He gripped his ponytail and jerked his head back before flicking the cap open and pouring the alcohol onto the open wound. Another scream was heard as the wound began to bubble and fizzle. The smell of the alcohol was the only thing Tyrian seemed to pick up and the sound of it bubbling in his open eye wound clouded his hearing.

This went on for the next several minutes. Some areas Tyrian would just laugh at because he genuinely enjoyed the stinging feeling of pain it brought, and others he may have laughed but was screaming inside. He was no stranger to pain, in fact he enjoyed it half the time, but this was different... this was cold, murderous intent being channeled through torture. It would only get worse from here. A fist crashed to his face and stomach repeatedly and he could only tense his muscles at each hit; it felt like he was being struck by a train.

A hour of beating Tyrian mercilessly went by and Six stopped, noticing his fist coated in blood; that warm, viscous substance oozing down his hand and dripping into the soil. Despite him repeating the same question about his affiliation and who his superior was, the man just laughed in his face. That was alright, if physical torture didn't cut it, then psychological would be the next best step.

He stood up and stared at Tyrian with a flat expression, waiting for him to look up at him with a swollen face before rearing his foot back and slamming it into him. Almost instantly, he was unconscious and Six tied him up more to prevent any measure of escape. After staring at his victim for a few minutes, he started to set up camp.

It took a couple minutes at most and he spent the next several minutes setting up traps around the area. The grenades would have come in handy during the fight, but he didn't want to use them just in case Tyrian ran into one of the splinters. While yes, it would limit his movements, there was also the possibility him trying to maneuver through one of them would set off a chain reaction. The grenades would be considered mercy

A camp fire illuminated the dark night and he stared at it, letting his thoughts ponder. He spread his cloak out, as well as his belongings, and started to take inventory. Food and water weren't an issue, he only used the bare essentials of his medical supplies to keep the bastard alive, but his ammunition was of slight concern. He had used a bit of it during the fight when trying to his Tyrian, but there was enough to get him by until he could get to the next town. His thoughts went back to the beacons the Monitor had told him about, perhaps there was one nearby to give him supplies.

These thoughts just clouded his mind as the time seemed to slip by. He turned his head back to Tyrian and saw the sun begin to rise in the distance, making him open a can of food and begin to eat silently. This time would be spent gathering information, regardless of the type of torture it took, then kill him and return to Maaya and Myne. He figured he would try to visit as often as he could; maybe three or four times a year. It would break the young girl's heart to hear that he wouldn't be with her, but it was something that needed to be done. She would learn to grow used to his absence like before, the only difference is that she didn't have her family to keep her company. His objective was to get the facilities up and running before dealing with this woman. From that point on he'd figure out the rest.

Right now though... he had a pest to deal with.

* * *

Six walked up to Tyrian and stared at him flatly before backhanding him awake. He started with the same question and received nothing but a mere fit of laughter in return. A few minutes of it was suddenly cut short when he went to his bag and grabbed the pair of metal cutting pliers. He walked back to Tyrian and removed his shoes, placing them near him and wrapping his hand around his right foot.

"Who is your superior?" He asked.

"What? You going to give me a fingernail clipping? I've seen this tactic by some rogue Huntsmen countless times, go ahead." Tyrian grinned.

"I'm not a Huntsman." Six said calmly. He placed the pair of pliers against Tyrian's pinky toe and stared at him. With a little bit of pressure, the sickening sound of flesh being sliced and snapping of bone met his ears. Blood spurted from the wound and quickly coated the ground below a deep crimson color. A cry of agony was soon heard after and Six moved onto the next toe. He didn't listen to the plea and snapped off that one also, igniting another scream from his victim.

The pliers were coated with blood and it slowly dribbled off of the metal tool. Two toes strewn about in the pool of blood with the bone exposed. Six just calmly stood up and went to his bag, wrapping the wound in a bandage tightly to stop the bleeding. Several long minutes went by and the bleeding eventually stopped, making him grip Tyrian's head tightly and force him to look at him.

"Your resistance is futile. It is better to save yourself from the pain than to go through it. Your superior, who is it?" Six asked.

"When I get out of here, I'll come back. She might not take this failure so kind-" Tyrian didn't get to finish when Six cut off the middle toe. He choked on his spit and held in a shout of agony, staring with wide eyes when he looked at his mutilated foot. It was at this moment did he realize that the thing in front of him didn't care about how much pain was caused.

"It is a female, we are making progress. What is her name?" Six asked.

"T-Try harder..." Tyrian laughed as the aftershock of the pain started to run through his body. A sense of bliss entered it and just as quickly left. He seemed to realize his fatal mistake when he saw Six place the pliers on the next toe.

"..." Six just placed the pliers on his index toe and stare.

"W-wait. Don't-" Tyrian widened his eyes. Another scream seemed to force itself out of his throat when the slicing of flesh and snapping of bone assaulted his nervous system. A hand suddenly shot to his mouth to cut off the screaming and he could only stare at Six.

"No one is coming to save you. Not your superior, nor anyone else you associate with. You are alone in these woods with me." Six said as he got closer to Tyrian's face and stared at him. He took his hand off and asked the name of his superior, this time he wasn't met with a witty remark. Only silence and an averted look. All he did was place the pliers against the big toe and snap it off just like the rest, eliciting another howl of agony.

"You bastard..." Tyrian grit his teeth.

"It seems your aura is healing you enough so you don't bleed to death. This is informative..." Six observed the mutilated foot. He had guessed aura kept the user from dying and did what it could to repair the damage.

Tyrian felt a wave a slight horror engulf his body; he was being observed like a lab rat. Every ounce of him was being dissected and studied carefully.

"Goddess Salem..." He whispered quietly. Six heard him though.

"Tell me about her." Six ordered. He watched as Tyrian's eyes seemed to gleam brightly as he went into a rant on how great she was. Every amount of her was divine beyond all comprehension and he would do anything for her. Six saw a fanatical person ranting about a false god, something he would bend to his will. He listened more on how useful Tyrian was to her and saw this as an opportunity.

"You should be lucky you're even breathing the same air as her." Tyrian laughed.

"What makes you think you are?" Six asked.

"Please elaborate, my extravagant torturer." Tyrian chuckled.

"You had stated you are useful to her, correct?" Six asked.

"That is correct. My grace has given me the important task of handling some less than savory individuals." Tyrian nodded.

"Then what makes you think you're of much use to her now?" Six tilted his head.

"When I get out of here-" Tyrian started.

"That's if I let you out of here. Suppose I do feel merciful and let you go back to her, what use would you be to her? Not only did you fail your objective in killing me, but you also came back as nothing but a shell of your former self. Imagine what type of disappointment your goddess would hold in you should she see you in such a state." Six said callously. He wanted to see if this would work; he wasn't planning on letting Tyrian go after he took him apart. He wasn't some noble hero that let the villain go and come back later with knowledge of him. Information was needed, and he'd gladly step into the roll of a machine if it meant he got what he wanted.

He watched as Tyrian's eyes slowly widened in horror at the realization. The thought of failing Salem clouded his mind, so much that he didn't notice Six leave to go grab some things. If the monster torturing him did let him go, what would she think when he returned empty handed and missing half of his body? Tyrian didn't know it, but he was slowly starting to erode away.

Six just stared at him before going back and kneeling in front of him, untying him and throwing him onto the ground before placing his knee against his chest. A cloth was placed on shortly after.

"Her location, where is it?" He asked.

"You'll never find it." Tyrian sang. Yes, he was missing all the toes on his right foot and had some of his will shattered, but it would take more than that to truly break him.

"..." Six just stared before opening his canteen and pouring the water onto Tyrian's face. A choking noise met his ears and he watched Tyrian thrash his head around when the sensation of drowning engulfed him. His heart started to beat rapidly and he breathed harshly when the cloth was taken off his face and placed to the side. He looked up at Six and grinned before activating his semblance for a quick second and striking him repeatedly. His grin slowly dropped when he saw Six's shields recharge with a dull hum and he stared down at him.

"Wait, it was just a playful gesture-" Tyrian reached out with his left arm. Six gripped it tightly and twisted with all his might and bent it. A loud, sickening crack echoed in the area as he watched the bone snap violently and be exposed for all to see. He ignored the pained cry and started to pull. A shrill scream echoed throughout the wilderness as Six slowly tore Tyrian's arm off. It started to be held together by nothing but a simple strands of flesh and eventually it was torn and thrown away.

Six just stood up and backed up a bit as he watched Tyrian howl in agony while thrashing around as blood sprayed into the air. He sighed before walking up to the man and slamming his foot onto his face and breaking his nose. Tyrian's aura seemed to do it's best in slowing the bleeding but Six was quick to tend to the wound. It seemed he was being too messy with his torture and needed to correct that. He grabbed Tyrian and dragged him to the small river nearby before dunking his head under the water.

Water splashed as Tyrian thrashed around wildly. Thirty seconds later, Six brought his head up and watched as he took large gulps of air before dunking it back underneath the surface. Each time he did this, he would ask the location of Salem and any other information; each time he would be met with either silence or a witty remark. The wild thrashing would lessen and he would keep him under the water longer each time. He ignored the pleas and kept doing it until Tyrian started to talk, which he didn't. After some time, Six decided that was enough drowning for the day.

This was just one of the many days Six would rip a piece of Tyrian apart, and he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted.

* * *

Tyrian wondered if he was in hell at this point. He looked at his body with a swollen face and couldn't help but give a hopeless chuckle. So far; all the toes on his right foot were cut off, his left arm was ripped off with pure strength alone, one of his eyes was nothing but a mutilated sight, his left shin was a broken mess, and his will was slowly starting to dwindle as the days went on. At first, he felt that sense of bliss whenever a wave of pain came and disappeared. Now all he felt was agony.

There was no pleasure in the pain anymore; he was hurting. No matter how defiant he felt, or how many times he had tried to escape, Six was always there to take another piece of him apart. It had been five days of back to back torture and he didn't know how much longer he could take. His low aura levels were the only thing keeping him alive at this point, it was enough to heal his most lethal wounds. He realized what Six did on his third day. It started with his legs so he couldn't run away should he break free, his eye so he couldn't see so well and was running half blind, and his arm so he couldn't fight back.

This... horrible machine was slowly ripping him apart so he was literally nothing but a steady source of information. Day in, day out, it was physical torture. His stomach rumbled from the lack of nourishment, and he started to feel ill. Possibly from an infection. The sound of boots impacting the ground softly made him look up to see Six staring down at him with a pair of pliers, though these were different. There was also a plate of food in his hand.

"You have given me information, but not as much as you should. If you cooperate, I will feed you." Six said calmly. That same robotic tone never left his voice and only at this moment did Tyrian realize that this... thing was something from his worst nightmares. An actual demon.

"Who's to say I won't give you the wrong information? You ripping me apart is something I didn't think I'd be able to handle, but alas-" Tyrian started. His eyes widened when Six gripped his mouth and forced it open. He felt the pliers grip one of his teeth and twist harshly, making him thrash around. There was a crack and the sound of tearing flesh before Six suddenly yanked out a tooth. Blood gushed from the exposed gum and he took the fork and started to stab the exposed nerve.

"This is getting tedious, Mr. Callows. We have been at this for five days. You are wasting time and I do not plan to be here any longer than what I wish. Give me what I want." Six merely said, he applied more pressure onto the nerve before suddenly taking the fork out. Tyrian spit out copious amounts of blood and the metallic taste was heavy on his tongue.

"What do you want exactly?" Tyrian grinned painfully.

"You know what I want." Six deadpanned.

"How about-" Tyrian stopped when Six suddenly stabbed in between his legs with the kukri. His eyes widened when when the blade started to trail upwards and hover over his most prized area. Slowly but surely, he could feel the blade start to pierce the fabric of his pants.

"If you lie or resist, I will not hesitate to mutilate your genitalia." Six said.

"Wait, wait, wait! Okay, I'll say something!" Tyrian cried out. Six listened intently as Tyrian slowly started to give him information, only pressing the blade further and letting it graze the flesh to get him to continue. He narrowed his eyes when he heard that there was an operative in each kingdom, with the exception of Vacuo. A man named Hazel in Mistral and a man named Arthur Watts in Atlas; there was talk about the latter recruiting a man named Merlot possibly being brought into the fray.

A sudden snap interrupted them and he quickly fired into one of the grenades around the perimeter, detonating it. The splinters suddenly spread out and a few Beowolves had gotten caught in the crossfire. All of their bodies disintegrated with an agonizing roar and the rest of the splinters detonated after several seconds.

Six just nodded in interest while Tyrian's eyes just slowly widened. Nothing was left of them, not even the ashes after their disintegration. Was that his fate? To be nothing but a mere speck of his former self?

"Continue." Six ordered.

"I don't think I will. That's the thing about back to back torture... you really can't step it up from here. You'll have to try harder than that." Tyrian grinned. Despite the slowly building horror in his system, he still hadn't revealed Salem's location and didn't intend to. He knew he was already dead if he returned empty handed, so the least he could do was buy his grace some time.

"That was merely physical torture. I still have yet to move onto the psychological." Six said evenly as he walked back to his bag.

"Wait... psychological?" Tyrian questioned.

"I do not believe I have misspoken. If you are not willing to give me her location, then I will move onto the next operative. You have given me enough to go off of." Six said as he brought out the concoction he made. He walked to the pile of meat on the plate and spread it on it, picking up the fork and sticking it in a chunk. He didn't care if Tyrian's eye cast a suspicious glare; all he did was force it into his mouth and making him swallow it. He kept force feeding the meat to him until it was gone and threw the plate somewhere.

"While I will admit, this was certainly an interesting take, I don't see how this is psychological torture." Tyrian laughed.

"It is merely a part of it. Aren't you curious what the meat was?" Six tilted his head at the faunus.

"Surprise me, I can take it-" He suddenly stopped when he saw something past Six.

A familiar appendage resting near the fire, a chunk of it looked like it had been cut off. His breathing started to quicken as he stared in horror at his missing tail and the plate. Bile seemed to creep up into his throat and he had the urge to vomit. As he gagged, his mouth was suddenly forced shut tightly and he stared up at his captor. This time though, it felt like he was staring into the abyss. Little droplets of puke seemed to escape his mouth but the majority of it was kept inside, forcing him to swallow it back down and shudder at the feeling. Once it was clear it was down, the hand came off his mouth and he saw Six back up.

"You damned psycho!" He screamed.

"... It will take some time for the effects of the hallucinogenic to occur. Should you reveal anymore information, then it is merely an added bonus. It won't kill you, as you had not taken an unhealthy dosage, but I am curious to see the effects of it." Six ignored the insult towards him. Ironic how the serial killer, the one who would butcher people for sheer joy was calling him a psycho.

All he did was leave him there screaming in horror, then began to pick up his items and a pair of Tyrian's bloody pincers then pack them into his bag. He went up to Tyrian and slammed his fist into his face, rendering him unconscious, then tied him up tightly. He threw his cloak on then dragged him across the ground to another location, further into the woods.

He'd scatter the rest of his body across the wild. Some animals needed to eat after all.

* * *

Six listened to Tyrian scream in terror for the last few hours as he continued to drag him. The effects of the plant seemed to have kicked in and he was being nothing but a nuisance to the Spartan. He screamed whatever little information he had on Salem and kept blubbering how useful he still was. It soon turned to pitiful crying and he kept apologizing to what seemed like his victims, saying he was just doing as he was told, that it was nothing personal. This continued on for the next few hours, before Six had enough of his ramblings.

Quick as a viper, he wrapped his fingers around Tyrian's tongue and yanked it out with all his might. A shrill, horrified howl of agony erupted from the man and he flailed around in his bindings. Grimm that approached were swiftly dealt with and he turned his attention back to the sniveling sack of flesh beneath him. Six just watched as he gave more pitiful sobs as blood gushed from his mouth.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Tyrian howled wildly.

"..." Six just watched as the man slowly broke down and sobbed, before he went silent after a while. He saw the remaining eye have a glossed over look and bent down to stare at him. It suddenly dilated when it caught sight of him and the look of absolute terror filled it, making him tilt his head. He watched as Tyrian tried to crawl away and hold his hand up in a pleading manner while backing away. All he did was slowly approach and step on his chest, eliciting a painful gasp. He applied pressure and listened to several ribs snap loudly, creating a loud howl.

He had successfully broken the man at this point, and he wasn't needed anymore. It took longer than what he had initially expected, but he got what he needed. He ignored the cries and howls before suddenly gripping Tyrian's throat tightly. A choked gasp was heard and he squeezed slowly. Blood started to seep between his fingers and pitiful slaps of retaliation were given before he gripped even tighter. With a sudden jerk and the sound of tearing flesh, a bloody throat was suddenly in Six's hand. A wet gurgle from the victim below him made him look down with a flat expression.

All he did was grip Tyrian's head and rip it off slowly, ignoring the wet gurgles and gushing of blood. Pretty soon, it tore off and he stared at the head before throwing it into a fallen tree. He bent down to the body and started to skin it viciously then tied the rope around its legs before throwing it onto a sturdy branch. Around an hour later; a mutilated, skinless corpse was suspended by its feet in the dead of night with the head somewhere nearby. After staring at it for a minute, he turned away and started to walk back towards the settlement.

Slowly but surely, the hate he had been harboring unknowingly started to dissipate from his system. After several minutes, it was gone and he felt a sudden weight come off his shoulders. The cold, unrelenting rage that had seemed to take over was quelled and he returned to normal. The physical torture was to get information about this woman and her subordinates, but the psychological one was for Myne's family and whatever unfortunate victims suffered from this man. He was never one to let his hate get the better side of him, but the bastard deserved it.

Every ounce.

As he walked and suddenly found a trail, he stopped when he heard a noise in front of him. He saw that wolf again and it stared at him while he did the same. It's snout was covered in blood and some dripped off onto the ground, same as his hands. The two of them stared at one another for some time before they started to approach one another calmly. Just like before, they passed without ever showing a hostile gesture and looked back at one another. It disappeared shortly after as did he.

Maybe it was meant to be a representation of himself? He didn't know. All he knew was that he didn't see it go back on the path and look at his retreating figure, with a small pup coming out and sitting next to it.

* * *

**Hello everyone, it has been a while; much longer than what some are used to. Don't have much to say other than hope you all are having a wonderful time and I hope you guys at least enjoy some of this chapter. I don't know how I did to be honest, it definitely took a darker turn than what I was originally hoping for. Then again, this story was meant to be a tad darker than some of the others. To be honest, I like stories like that. Anyways, I'm rambling, let's get onto the reviews.**

**Sm0kePanda: Here you go.**

**whatsupman: Indeed he has. Sorry if the actual hunt wasn't that good. A part of me didn't want to drag the chapter out too long.**

**finalwarrior24: One, but I probably should have made it two.**

**Janne Rolfe Jalandoni: You're a magnificent bugger.**

**Dead344156: You're amazing as always.**

**free man writer: Indeed. I'll try to keep your attention, stay safe comrade.**

**VinniTheP00h: That made me chuckle. Literal pieces.**

**Crescentation: You made me laugh really hard. I needed that.**

**Fenrir Wylde Razgriz: Yeah, each chapter gets longer, but not too long to be boring.**

**Gunbladez19: Indeed.**

**Akin2018: Thank you.**

**Lechain: Tyrian didn't want to draw too much attention. Yes, he could've killed her, the townspeople were there almost instantly. If that's not good enough, then I apologize and will try to improve in the future.**

**Main117: Indeed.**

**Czechus: It was indeed painful. Here's the chapter, and I apologize for both apologizing and if the chapter isn't up to par.**

**ShadowSpartan000: Indeed.**

**Dovahwolf13: He didn't.**

**Valerious Lake: Yeah, it actually pained me to write that. You have no idea how much pain it brought me, which is odd since I know I shouldn't get too attached.**

**KnightHunter911700: I don't really know how to handle the interactions with Ozpin, I'll think of something. About revealing the armor, Six probably won't do it for the world. He prefers to be anonymous as possible to avoid attention, it's just how he is.**

**YOUGOTAWARFACE: Indeed he has, sorry if the hunting segment wasn't that great.**

**captaindickscratcher: Wow, that's a long review, not that I don't mind it. You also bring up some interesting points.**

**Winnie the Pooh: I thought about it, but I don't know.**

**Thel310: I have not, although I do plan on it. I enjoyed watching videos on it before I got my Xbox and PC.**

**Christian Breffle: Nice.**

**InfernoKnightmare: He did rip and tear him apart, so that's good. Good luck on your mission in the Grimm lands.**

**Gundam-Knight-Chris: He did, enough for him to give up Salem.**

**darkromdemon: She actually might have to.**

**Confederate Soldier CSA: That's something I'd like to experiment on, his interactions with Myne.**

**JCarrasco: I will.**

**Malgrath: It has been done, comrade.**

**Rogue-eL: Sorry, believe me, I didn't want to do it either. It actually pained me to write that, but it does go to show that even characters like them can be caught in the crossfire.**

**daggercloak000: It has been done.**

**forthose8675309: Yeah, you really pointed it out. This chapter might have some of the same issues since I'm not feeling so well, mentally I mean, but I did try to avoid repeating myself so much. I also tried to give a decent reaction to Six's view to the murder. Sorry if's not up to par.**

**Ghostly: You got me with that.**

**Lord Demolitions: If I did do that, it's probably Maaya. Chances are high that he won't but if it was anyone, it'd probably be her first.**

**Guest: No, that was Myne who was kidnapped. Myne was kidnapped which prompted Six to go save her.**

**Guest: Indeed he is. I'll do something about explaining his intentions with the White Fang.**

**MarauderPrime12: I don't.**

**Blaze1992: That's too good for the sack of flesh.**

**MysticMauler: Here it is.**

**Reader: Sorry, mate. That was a nice review to read, it certainly brought some things into perspective. I agree about everyone calling for the death, tried to satisfy you guys without going super dark on my part.**

**Raikaguken: Because Tyrian's a crazed serial killer and it fit the darker theme of the story.**

**Crainium9: Six and the Monitor's equipment are made of different material from the things from Remnant. His weapons have a greater damage output and Six's armor and natural strength give him an edge. It's not that he is simply able to bypass aura since it takes him a few hits, he just does more damage since he's a Spartan. If you're talking about him having aura, then it's because he's not from Remnant. In this story, only inhabitants from Remnant are able to possess aura.**

**scottusa1: Thanks, laters.**

**Mortarion The Death Lord: I tried a bit for his character. While he's not emotional as some, he's not completely emotionless. He's just really reserved and has a general professional outlook on things. Sorry if the fight scene isn't that great. Fight scenes are something I'd like to improve upon in the future.**

**RememberReach312: He never does.**

**yangn33: The chances of him dropping her off to Summer and Tai are really low. I liked that ding dong thing you did there. As for the danger, yeah, I tried to paint it as realistic as possible while still keeping some aspects of fantasy. So I'd say more along the lines of dark fantasy, which is possibly my favorite genre.**

**O: I enjoy reading about your guys' debate, painted a good perspective on how people see Ironwood.**

**rvbrwby: That was my intention, I'm glad you caught onto that.**

**Just a reader: I thought about doing that to be honest, but I like the way you think when it comes to punishment.**

**That guy0101: That's certainly interesting. I'd have to do some research since I've only heard about that once.**

**Elmoslayer569: Here's some more.**

**RIP AND TEAR: KAR EN TUK**

**Band0g: I was actually listening to that when writing some of this chapter like a week ago.**

**GunnerRabbit: I plan on doing something along those lines in the future...**

**ADAMU KADOMON (Kana Yoshizawa/ Shiranui Mizuki): Goddamn, you never cease to amaze me with those analysis skills. Anyways, I do enjoy those so thanks for reviewing.**

** 47: He didn't.**

**BigRig2.0: Thanks.**

**Amir2000: So are a lot of people.**

**Crocodile59: Didn't mean to make it seem like that.**

**SuperSaiyajin4Vegeta: I prefer along the lines of morally gray. Sorry if the Tyrian fight wasn't that great, some fight scenes aren't my specialty.**

**Josephi: Death warrant indeed.**

**HIGHWAY BLOSSOMS: That is a rather terrifying thought.**

**The Doom Slayer: Well shit, guess I have no choice _but _to rip and tear.**

**Guest: No, it's not just you. I'm sure someone else feels the same way.**

**B0RD3RLANDS: That is certainly informative.**

**Victor John Foxfire: They'll have to eventually. Yeah, I like to give snip its of what Six is feeling after the fall of Reach. After all, he has to remember it.**

**VGBlackwing: That is certainly a good review, I hope this chapter satisfies you.**

**Air of Infinity: Sorry if the hunt portion wasn't that good.**

**Somerandomperson: If he had one, but he doesn't so he'll just have to improvise.**

**Guest: He probably wouldn't record himself at all. Six isn't one to like being tracked and doing that would put him on everyone's radar.**

**Oof doof: Whoa, it was just a suggestion.**

**Foxcomm: Indeed.**

**MysticMauler: Holy shit... it has been. Thanks.**

**archive4465: You're amazing.**

**Guest: I'll try to keep his character like that.**

**UN Peacekeeper: That would be a sight for everyone to enjoy.**

**Anduneuial: Oof, my heart. It has been wounded.**

**Wow, that was a lot of reviews, it's all good though. So, I know you all don't really like me apologizing but I have to for this chapter. If it isn't up to par, then sorry fight scenes are not my specialty but I'll try to improve. Otherwise, thanks for reviewing this much, you guys are amazing.**

**On an unrelated note, should I get Green Hell or GTFO. Those two games have been on my mind for the last few days and I really can't decide. There's also the fact that I'm excited for Pyramid Head on Dead by Daylight, so that's another thing to look forward to. Anyways, you guys rock and stay safe. I'll catch you all in the next chapter. Take it easy, you guys. See ya.**


	20. Chapter 20: Lick the wounds

It took some time before Six was even near the settlement Maaya and Myne were at. Almost a month and a half of walking in the wilderness and doing some bounties for the other settlements. The soil underneath his boots seemed to compress a bit whenever he took a step and left a small imprint. The clouds overhead seemed to cover the entire sky and he looked up to see it about to rain, hearing thunder in the distance. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he continued to walk forward, after several minutes of walking, it had begun to rain. At first, it was calm and relaxing; then it started to pick up as did the wind.

He let his mind run while his legs just continued to take him to the very settlement he had come to enjoy so much over the years. The rain would only let up for several periods of time before picking back up again. It continued on for the next couple of days until he reached the settlement. His large body lumbered through the wilderness and eventually came across the path; after a couple of hours, it was suddenly on the path. He stopped when the guards noticed him before letting a small smile adorn their faces. He was their savior during times like these, something he didn't bother to comment on.

Each of them sent a glance at one another when he walked past them when they brought up Myne's family. It was still a rather sore topic for him, and it was something he didn't wish to discuss with anyone. Puddles beneath him splashed a bit whenever he stepped in them on the cobble road as he walked towards the guild. The storm clouds had gotten darker and he moved to the side when a couple of people exited out of the guild, barely catching sight of him as he walked inside. He looked around and saw the usual patrons talking with one another, some were just talking about the different bounties they had taken up while others discussed some other things. As the door closed loudly, all the eyes were suddenly on him and the whole establishment went quiet.

Everyone just stared at him, only quiet whispers were heard. Some of the usual comments while others were about the family, which was ignored as usual.

He saw Maaya working at her usual spot, but there was a little chair next to her. Myne was sleeping quietly and he sent a glance at her before turning his gaze back to the older woman.

"Six, are you okay?" She asked.

"..." He nodded at her and started to fish in his bag.

"Did you catch the person who did this-" She asked, only to stop when a pair of bloody pincers was thrown onto the counter. She flinched at the sudden noise it made when it hit the wood, as did everyone else. Some crowded around to get a better look at it while others seemed to stay in their spot. While a few had their doubts about him actually finding the killer, the rest knew for a fact that he had actually done it. Judging by the amount of blood coating the thing, he didn't bother being clean with the kill either, and he brought it back as proof that the man was gone.

The air suddenly felt tense when they realized that he was able to succeed in areas no one else was. The way he walked in the building, how he presented the bloody pincers, to the way his metaphorical aura felt, something seemed wrong with him. Everyone noticed this, but they couldn't tell what exactly. Nothing about him radiated that quiet, comforting nature. It was only that cold, unflinching precision that a machine could carry. It scared a few of them to be honest.

A few weeks after he left, the settlement found out that the man was a crazed serial killer. They feared for their lives should he ever come back, but seeing the bloody weapon of the man seemed to lift their spirits up a bit. The fact that he managed to kill him made them both respect and fear Six at the same time.

Maaya noticed how he didn't seem all there, like his mind was somewhere else. To be honest, she was more scared about his current state than the fact that he killed the man. She didn't need for him to tell her that the deaths were still on his conscious, and that he would forever be engraved into his mind. Searing into it like an awful branding on an animal. She and everyone else noticed him look at board for a few minutes, before taking ten bounties. He went up to the counter and placed them on it, waiting for her to stamp them.

"I know what you're doing. It's against the rules to take this many, I'm limiting it to four." She said.

"..." He nodded and separated the more urgent ones and put the rest back on the board. She sighed and stamped them then watched as he went to a high table and just stood near it, being still as a statue. Several of the members glanced at one another worriedly then at him before continuing with their day.

Six ignored the whispers directed at him, he was used to people talking about him underneath their breath. Years of such treatment had made him build up indifference towards it. He also knew the people were slightly afraid of him now, something that didn't concern him too much. Some people were afraid of Spartans just as much as they viewed them as angels. His mind went back to Reach, during his time when New Alexandria was falling. How Kat's death was so sudden that it almost felt like a sick punchline to a joke.

He remembered carrying her corpse and hearing the absolute distraught in some of the civilians voices. A part of him understood why though; seeing the corpse of a Spartan was like seeing a guardian angel suddenly fall in battle. It was the single worst thing that could happen in a civilian's perspective. It opened their eyes when they realized that even Spartans could die in battle in the span of a second. Her death was just another reason he shut himself off from his emotions, to avoid feeling anything.

Maaya, Myne, and her family made him feel emotions again. Not to the point where he would bawl his eyes out, no... tears were non-existent with him, but they did make him feel like a human. They made him content with himself and actively looked forward to seeing them again. When the family had been murdered, he was right back to square one.

The hours around him seemed to slip by and he continued to stand there, just thinking. He figured he'd lie low for a few weeks then move onto the next kingdom. Vale was completely done, with the exception of the supply beacons, and it was time to be on the road again. A small tug on his cloak made him look down to see Myne holding it while rubbing her eyes a bit. He bent down and stared at her, suddenly tensing up when she hugged him tightly. He could tell she was crying judging by the sniffles and he just held his arms out awkwardly, before setting a hand on the top of her head.

She began to childishly scold him for leaving without saying goodbye and he just nodded. He knelt down to her level and looked her in the eyes. There were times when he had forgotten how small she was. With one hand, he took the wolf necklace off of his neck and placed it on hers. She looked at it and noticed that all four pendants were on the same strap. Her eyes watered when she looked at them then back at him.

"I already have one. I think it would be better if you had kept them in your possession." He said.

"... Thank you." She whispered.

"..." A simple nod was given in return and he looked around, only to see everyone gone with the exception of Maaya. He walked up to the counter and waited for her to finish her work before marching to the door.

"Wait!" Maaya called out as she put a stack of papers in the drawer. He watched as she quickly stood up and picked up a small raincoat. She went up to Myne and put it on her gently, pulling the hood over her head before grabbing an umbrella. They headed out of the door shortly after. The soft noise of the rain hitting the ground was relaxing to hear and it visibly calmed him. He ignored the rain as it hit them while they walked back to the apartment, listening to Myne talk about how she was growing up. It was clear that she was still heartbroken about the deaths, but she had grown used to Maaya's presence.

Maaya would talk about the little things as usual and he would just listen silently. She would talk about how Myne was slowly adjusting to her apartment and that a bed would be arriving soon. He just nodded and looked down to see Myne stomp in a small puddle of water and shake his head a bit. The three of them had just walked at a comfortable pace and after a couple of minutes of walking, they had arrived at the apartment complex and entered the building.

All three of them entered the elevator and waited for it to ascend before the doors opened. They walked down the hall and entered the apartment, the two shaking their coats and putting it on the rack near the door while he just stood there. Everything was the same, which was to be expected; he was only gone for a month and a half. The only difference was the amount of toys in certain spots. He barely remembered seeing an actual toy that was in his possession. The only times he had actually seen one was in the arms of a deceased child. Another moment that had hardened him at the sight of death.

A tug on his cloak made him look down to see Myne staring at him a bit before smiling. That innocent smile that seemed to banish some of the cold darkness and bring about a small portion of warmth. It reminded him of Nora.

"Are you going to stand there forever?" She asked.

"No." He shook his head, taking the cloak off and opening the door, flicking it harshly to rid itself of any residue water. The door shut with a soft click and he turned to see Maaya come out with more comfortable clothes on. It was a simple pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt. He just put his weapons near the door and hung his cloak on the rack. Myne noticed him still standing in the same spot and tried to tug him towards the living room, only to fail and slump down.

"Why aren't you moving?" She tugged some more.

"I do not wish to dirty the carpet." He answered.

"Is that what you're worried about?" Maaya turned her head from the kitchen sink.

"..." He looked at her and nodded. She rolled her eyes and smiled a bit before going down the hall and bringing out some old towels for him to step on. She had spread them out in the living room and gave him enough space to sit down cross-legged. He adjusted himself every so often and stared ahead before shaking his head when she asked if he was hungry. She eyed him worriedly before setting some of the food in the fridge.

Myne scampered up to him and wormed her way onto his lap, letting her legs dangle over his and lean back against his chest. He looked down at her and noticed that she had drawn a picture of her family. It was a crude drawing, but it was clear she did have some talent for it.

"Did you draw this?" He asked.

"Yeah, Maaya said it would help me feel better." She answered.

"Does it?" He asked.

"Kind of. It's weird... I feel sad when I start but I feel better when I'm done." She said. He could see the conflict on her face and brought her closer to him. Just him being there was enough to make her feel a tad bit better. She gripped his thumbs with her tiny hands and squeezed them, making him gently engulf her hands in his. The two of them were like one another. Both lost their families at a young age and had to bear witness the fallout of it. The only difference between him and her, was that he sharpened himself to an unflinching blade. She was just confused and conflicted about things. He didn't know how much he could be there for her though. Maybe more than what he was with Ren and Nora since he had more experience.

As much as he would like to stay with Maaya and Myne, he still had a mission to complete. He figured periodic visits would be enough until he could find a more beneficial solution.

"Hey, Six..." She looked up at him.

"..." He just looked down and noticed her looking into his black visor.

"Did... did you catch the man who did this?" She asked, tears slightly brimming in the corner of her eyes.

"I did." He answered instantly.

"What did you do to him?" She asked. It went quiet for a while and he just carefully mulled over what he should tell her. He couldn't just tell her that he tortured the man for days on end, breaking him down into a sniveling, wasteful sack of flesh that he was. It would haunt her for the rest of her life, she was already scarred enough as it is.

"He won't be bothering anyone anymore." He answered.

"Did he disappear like the Grimm?" She asked.

"... Yes. He faded like the Grimm." He nodded. There were times when he remembered he wasn't talking to an adult or a fellow Spartan; he was talking to a civilian child, one that he had promised to look after. It was odd when he thought about it; if it were him several years ago, he'd decline and leave the child in another person's care without a second thought. Now though, he promised he'd at least keep an eye out.

Maaya just watched the two bond a bit and smiled as she washed the dishes. Usually, she'd be bathing Myne and getting her ready for bed since it was nine-fifteen, but she'd let her stay up a bit later. Her schedule was starting to change also; since it was Friday, she had to leave later, but every other weekday she left at six-thirty. She also got weekends off, but she chose to stay and work to earn some extra income. Though, throughout the three months, she really only worked one weekend so far.

She remembered when Myne sobbed when she found out Six had left, the absolute distraught on her face almost broke her heart. It took about three days for Myne to stop crying so much for her to explain that he'd return. From that point on, she just let Myne warm up to her at her own pace and didn't push. She'd say she was doing a decent job for someone who didn't know a thing about parenting. It took a while for her to get guardianship over Myne, but between her and some others, she was glad the girl chose her.

Her thoughts were cut short when Myne asked a question.

"Hey, Six... what's this?" She asked while pointing to his trauma kit.

"It is a trauma kit." He answered.

"What's trauma?" She blinked.

"There are three main types of trauma; acute, chronic, and complex. To simplify things, this is for physical." He answered.

"So what's that mean?" She asked.

"This is meant for a variety of injuries. Lacerations, abrasions, lesions, contusions, and etc." He answered. It went quiet when he said that and she just blinked at him owlishly while Maaya came into the living room and sat down at the couch.

"What he means is it's for different types of injuries. Cuts, scrapes, bruises, injuries on your insides, and etc." She simplified.

"Ohhhhh." Myne nodded in understanding.

"Yeah. Why don't you go grab your towel so we can give you a bath and get you ready for bed." Maaya said as she set her hands on her knees and leaned forward.

"Do I have to?" Myne whined a bit.

"Keeping a healthy hygienic routine is beneficial, Myne. It is also good to have a dedicated sleep schedule as well. Go." Six picked her up and set her on her feet. She pouted a bit before standing in place and puffing her cheeks.

"Tell you what, I'll read you a story if you do this." Maaya promised.

"My favorite one?" Myne asked.

"Your favorite one." Maaya reassured.

"... Okay." Myne nodded before going towards the bathroom. Six just watched the two go and let his mind ponder for the next several minutes. He felt uncomfortable to be honest. The attachment to another individual made him feel a rather heavy state of unease and it bothered him. He was the reason a good family wasn't among the living anymore and he didn't wish for that to happen to Maaya or Myne. The same could be said for Ren and Nora too. Keeping himself at a distance from them was the best way for them to be safe in the end. He figured that he was just an unlucky individual, but ruled that out as soon as it came.

Being a machine felt more comforting at certain times, and right now would be the perfect time to feel like that. Though... when he saw Myne's smile that reminded him so much of Nora, it made him feel a state of ease. The human side of him enjoyed that a bit, to feel wanted by someone other than his fellow Spartans. These thoughts clouded his mind for the next fifteen minutes before he was brought out of them by a small nudge on his arm. He turned to see Myne standing next to him with a stuffed rabbit in her hands and a set of blue pajamas.

"Maaya said I should say goodnight to you before I go to sleep." She said.

"I see. Have a good night's rest." He nodded.

"Goodnight, Six. Are you going to be here tomorrow?" She asked.

"That is a possibility." He answered.

"Good." She beamed a bit. It didn't have that usual glow like he was used to, but it beat seeing her depressed face any day. She hugged his arm and he locked up before awkwardly patting her head and nudging her off. He just sat in silence for the next half an hour before standing up and going to the room, peering inside to see both of them asleep. All he did was silently enter the room and put Maaya underneath the covers and place the blanket over her before backing up. He looked at them for a few seconds then exited out of the room.

The lights were shut off and he grabbed his cloak, bag, and weapons before putting them on him. With barely a noise at all, he opened the door and closed it with a soft click. It was better for someone like him to sleep outside. He felt the isolation slowly comfort him as he exited out of the settlement.

* * *

He went back in the settlement and started to do some errands, noticing that the ground was dry despite the heavy downpour yesterday. His first stop was to collect some more supplies and see if he could make an antidote from the poison. He'd use one bottle for that, maybe two, and keep the last one in case he needed to use it. His second was to get more ammunition and throwing knives, and his final one would be to stop by the guild. From that point on he'd complete his bounties and possibly spend more time with the other two before leaving for the next kingdom.

Mistral would probably be a good kingdom to wander around, then possibly Atlas next, and Vacuo last. It didn't particularly have to be in that order, he just wanted the heat to die down a bit. It was also because he wanted to eliminate this Salem woman's subordinates before finally going after her. He had a goal in mind and now it was time to execute it. To be honest, he'd probably spend at least three weeks or the month at this current location before moving on. That would give Myne enough time to spend with him before he took his leave. It also proposed a higher chance of encountering Ren and Nora should they be sent on an assignment with their team.

As he completed his errands, he thought about them and Beacon. He didn't know why Ozpin was trying so hard at this point in time, it had been seven years since he's declined his offer and it wouldn't change. Getting caught up with his shenanigans seemed troublesome on its own and he really didn't feel like dealing with whatever the man had in store for him. Plus, he didn't care. It was starting to become a problem now; several times settlements were losing funding or were denied assistance to draw him out, which left him to assist them instead.

The people of the settlement had more faith in him than Huntsmen and Huntresses. There's also the fact that he agreed to teach them skills to survive against a Grimm or bandit attack. Most settlements greeted him with open arms and could often tell when someone tried to impersonate him, usually by the height and actions. Nearly all of them knew he barely spoke and when he did, it was straight to the point. He had suspected certain individuals would attempt this, and he was rather glad the settlements had enough common sense to tell the difference between him and a fraud.

For the most part though, he didn't care.

He shook his head as he entered the gunsmith's shop and waited for the older man to notice him. When he did, he gave him his usual gruff greeting.

"Huh, you're here sooner than I expected." The man said.

"Elaborate." Six said.

"Usually, you come around every four months. People around here usually anticipate your arrival at times." He said.

"Why?" Six asked.

"Son, people around here enjoy you being here. While I wouldn't go as far as calling it your home, we do see you as one of our own at times." The gunsmith said.

"Don't." Six merely commented.

"Too late, we already do. All jokes aside, I take it you came to get some more ammo?" The man said.

"..." Six just nodded and waited for the man to go in the back and grab him some. He returned with a container and Six started to load his magazines with each round and put as many shells on him as possible.

"Word is that you caught the bastard who killed the family..." The gunsmith said after some time. Six stopped loading for several seconds before continuing to do so.

"..." He just barely nodded, his hood making the faintest movement indicating the man had guessed right.

"I know you don't want to hear it, but someone has to say it. I'm glad you did, the bastard was a monster. Slaughtering an innocent family and some guards trying to keep us safe. Some of the members at the guild wanted to go after him, but always ended up dead or hurt." The gunsmith continued.

"He is not a problem anymore." Six merely said.

"Glad he isn't. The father always came around the shop at times..." He said.

"..." Six just looked up at him, seeing his eyes turn a bit foggy.

"Always helped out despite not getting anything in return. Believe it or not, he looked up to you and wanted to do more. I think that's why he became a guild member and was also a guard at the gates. He worked so hard to provide and everyone saw him as a good person." The gunsmith said, small bouts of tears threatening to leak from the corners of his eyes.

"...Why are you telling me this?" Six asked. He wasn't being rude, but rather curious as to why the man was telling him this.

"I don't know, got a little emotional I guess. Always happens when you're around." The man chuckled sadly as he wiped the tears away.

"I apologize for making you feel that way. It was not my intention." Six said calmly.

"Don't worry about it, son. Are you okay though?" The gunsmith asked.

"I am fine." Six nodded.

"I ain't gonna force you to talk, but I can see you're troubled. That's what you are, a troubled person. You've been through a lot. Haven't you, son?" He asked.

"..." Six just stared at him silently before backing up and taking his leave. He heard the man say a sincere apology and he nodded before heading out of the door. His feet just carried him through the street and he avoided a truck coming in with supplies. Since it was an outer settlement, they didn't have very many vehicles, and often relied on carriages. The use of fuel was distributed in other things. He avoided talking about himself for several reasons. Sometimes his superiors didn't care and brushed it off, other times it was irrelevant to his task. For the most part it made him uncomfortable.

He never really had people to confide in or worry about him. To them, he was a mere weapon and over the years that's what he viewed himself as. His duty was to protect humanity whatever the cost, and he'd gladly do it if it meant its survival. Emotions and personal feelings were irrelevant and could be thrown out like a piece of trash. It's what the ONI spooks drilled into him whenever he did a mission or voiced his opinion. They did it at a young age too, so they knew what they were doing to him; they just didn't care. He was an asset, a valuable one at that. To them, he was their personal Grim Reaper and it showed now.

Noble Team seemed to view him as an asset at the start before eventually warming up to him. They viewed him as a brother-in-arms and actually gave a damn about him. It was shown when they completed more missions together. He earned their respect and a spot on the team, viewing him as one of their own. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and grabbed Emile and Jorge's tags, letting them dangle and sway in his hand. Emile would probably just scoff and give a dry, but not ill intended, remark and Jorge would just pat him on the shoulder. Kat would just roll her eyes, but deep down she would find it humorous while Jun would just remain in the back. Carter would comment before going back to this mission.

He was brought out of his thoughts when a tug on his cloak made him look down to see Myne.

"You said you would say goodbye when you left, silly." She said.

"I am not leaving at the moment. Where is Maaya? Why are you unsupervised?" He asked as he knelt down to her level.

"She's over there. I ran over here when I saw you and I got really excited." She twisted her foot. He looked up and saw Maaya walk over to them and grip Myne's hand before kneeling down to her level.

"Goodness, you run fast when you're excited." She said.

"I run super fast! I bet I can beat Six in a race." Myne said.

"That is not possible." He said. Realistically speaking, he could run almost the same speed as a Spartan-II. Through constant training, it enabled him to run at the same speed as them. He didn't know about now since he wasn't even one of the faster ones. Compared to other Spartans, he was about average.

"It is, I'll beat you in a race one day." She said.

"That is not possible." He countered.

"Blep." She stuck her tongue out. He heard Maaya stifle a laugh while he just quietly sighed and bent down to her level.

"What is your status?" He asked.

"Status?" She tilted her head.

"He means how are you feeling." Maaya simplified. She had been helping Myne understand more complex phrases and words so she understood the world better. Through reading, her vocabulary was improving.

"I'm feeling good. Maaya took the day off so we can do stuff. When I saw you standing there, I got really excited since I thought you left." Myne said.

"I am not leaving for the next few weeks." He answered.

"Yay!" She cheered. He stood up and walked with them for a while. He noticed how she was clutching Maaya's hand and smiling up at her while clutching his cloak. Although she was young, she knew he wasn't one to show affection towards others so grabbing his cloak was the best option at the moment. When he looked at her, she seemed content despite her current situation. This was... a different experience for him.

Numerous people glanced and either sent smirks and shook their heads or just continued on. It was wise not to stare at the Spartan too long since he was able to find out who was doing it and stare back.

"So, Six... what's on the agenda today?" Maaya asked.

"I am completing my current tasks." He answered curtly.

"I hope you're taking it easy at least." She commented.

"From that point on, I will complete my bounties. I have already found out the location of some of them." He continued.

"How?" She asked.

"I went patrolling around the settlement last night. The guards had managed to get a good night's rest and give me some information." He informed.

"I take it you are too?" She raised an eyebrow.

"..." He didn't say anything and just kept walking forward.

"You aren't. How many times do I have to tell you not to push yourself so hard?" She placed a hand on her hip.

"Numerous times." He answered truthfully.

"That was a rhetorical question." She sighed. He just looked at her and continued to walk with Myne still clutching his cloak in one hand and Maaya's hand in the other. It was an odd feeling indeed. To be wanted that is.

"Have Ren and Nora stopped by the settlement?" He asked.

"No. Although, I did receive word that some Beacon students were going to be stopping by here in the next week or so." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Something about hands on experience. It's September and you did leave in June, so that's to be expected. I guess the academies are trying to step up their game and get people's trust back in Huntsmen and Huntresses." She answered.

"I see..." He said, making her look at him. His intervention with completing bounties and generally helping settlements did put more trust in him than the so called protectors of humanity. Truthfully, he didn't care about Huntsmen or Huntresses, so long as they left him alone then he had no problem with them.

"Are you eager to see them?" She asked.

"I wish to see Ren and Nora again, their teammates I don't care about." He answered.

"This is the first time I've seen you look forward to seeing somebody." She commented.

"I look forward to seeing you and Myne." He said calmly. She had to stop for a second and just look at him while he continued forward with Myne. The only reason he stopped was when he noticed she was just standing there with a blank expression on her face.

"Maaya, are you okay?" Myne asked.

"I'm fine. Just a little shocked is all." She reassured with a wave of her hand.

"Six, who are Ren and Nora?" Myne asked.

"They are people I know and have been taking underneath my wing." He answered.

"Are they cool?" She asked.

"I fail to see how temperature or composure has anything to do with this." He commented.

"She means are they interesting?" Maaya corrected. There were times when she forgot Six wasn't one to use more relaxed words. He was always straight to the point and didn't beat around the bush for anyone, it's why she valued him as a friend and a trustworthy individual. She knew he was a soldier judging by the way he moved and spoke, but she didn't know where he actually originated from. He didn't talk about his past to anyone, not even her, and that was okay in her book.

"Oh..." He merely said. The three of them just spent the next few hours with one another before he had bid them farewell. It was time to do the bounties and patrol around the settlement. He figured he'd keep himself busy with these until Ren and Nora arrived then leave for his next destination. Something made him stop and he looked down to notice Myne dive into his cloak and clutch his leg tightly when a stranger approached them. She was still distrustful to anyone but him and Maaya. She was content with just being next to her older caretakers than anyone else.

When out in public, if she wasn't in close proximity or holding onto either him or Maaya, she went silent. Nobody could get a word out from her and it usually lasted until either they left or she started to tear up and had Maaya come grab her. It's why Maaya began taking her to work instead of keeping her at the daycare with the other children. He didn't know this until he heard her bring it up during their walk.

That odd feeling returned when he was out in the wild. It was like an everlasting blanket of comfort that seemed to shine on both sides. When he was with them, he was fine with their company. Although, when he was out in the wild by himself he was fine also. The only time he wasn't fine was when he was surrounded by people he didn't know or didn't trust. Nothing but unease filled his body and he didn't like it one bit.

Soon, the feeling faded and he felt nothing as usual. Sometimes this was the best thing and it suited him.

* * *

He was gone for an entire week before he returned to the settlement. Despite the bounties being in close proximity to one another, that didn't meant they were close to the settlement at all. The first one was the easiest since it was nothing but a simple Beowolf bounty, the second was an Ursa major that lasted two days, the third was a Creep den that lasted an entire day, and the final one was a Nevermore that took him the remaining days to track.

As he walked on the trail, he saw there was a bullhead nearby the settlement in an open area, making him stop and observe it from a distance. After a couple of minutes of looking at it, he continued forward and stopped at the gate. He waited for the guards to greet him and let him in before they shut the gates shortly after, making him look at them. They informed him that they usually did this when new faces showed up and it's always been a custom. He supposed this had happened when he first started to come by the settlement; they shut the gates when he did and let him out when he announced his departure. Throughout the years, they just opened it when he dropped by more.

He walked throughout the settlement and decided to stock up on supplies before collecting his rewards from the guild. As he walked inside the store to grab some food, he was greeted by the cashier and nodded when she asked if he found everything alright. Over the years, she had started to compile a list as to what he usually got and always managed to keep some in stock for him. He exited the store and started to make his way to the guild, opening the door and closing it behind him. As he walked towards the counter, he noticed Maaya looked rather stressed. He walked up to her and stopped at the counter.

"Hey." She said.

"Why are you in a distraught state?" He asked.

"It's nothing, just some newer members angry that their friend died during the bounty." She sighed.

"Don't feel bad for their actions. It was them who made a mistake during it and it cost them dearly." He said.

"That somehow makes me feel worse." She said.

"You are not responsible for the death of the member. They know how dangerous it is since it is the frontier." He said.

"I'll just let it blow over like always." She said.

"I see..." He nodded.

"I take it the Grimm are gone?" She asked.

"..." He nodded and placed the bounties on the counter, making her take them and organize them before placing them in a cabinet. She went to the back and counted the lien before going back and paying him. He counted it before putting in a small pouch then putting it in his bag. He leaned forward and saw Myne sitting on a large pillow with a book in her hands and headphones on.

"They're noise cancelling headphones. She doesn't like it when some of the guild members get too rowdy and laugh too much. It reminds her of the incident." She said.

"Is there not a place she can stay while you are at work?" He asked.

"The apartment, but otherwise, no. Parents usually teach their children at home and the daycare would only upset her more." She answered.

"I see." He said. He never really had to worry about that with the UNSC. They gave him psychological evaluations from time to time, but for the most part he kept to himself and learned how to deal with his inner turmoil. He was brought out of his reminiscing when he heard Myne stand up and look around before setting her eyes on him. They brightened up and she went around the counter to grab onto his cloak, making him kneel down a bit.

"When are you coming back?" She asked.

"That is undetermined, possibly either tomorrow or later tonight." He answered.

"Are you going to stay the night?" She asked.

"No." He answered.

"Oh..." She whispered. He tilted his head when she reacted like that; while he did know she enjoyed being around her and he was content with being around her, he didn't understand why she was so sad about it. There were often times when he didn't understand human emotions at times. Despite him seeing in different scenarios, he had a hard time grasping some aspects of it. Kind of like how he had a difficult time conveying them. Maybe it was due to his lack of interaction with civilians and their way of life. Emotions led to poor judgement calls at times and that led to mistakes, something he didn't enjoy making too much.

That's not to say that he was perfect, he was far from it. Mistakes were often welcomed at times if it meant avoiding them in the future.

"Myne, why don't you go back to reading? I'm almost done with work so we can go back to the apartment soon." Maaya said.

"Okay..." She murmured. He watched as she disappeared behind the counter and he observed her before noticing the air went from relaxed to uncomfortable in an instant. A part of him understood that it was him that created this feeling, but the other part was her. He figured keeping at a safe distance was the best chance to keep them safe.

The hours seemed to slip by slowly when he left to run some errands and do patrol around the settlement. When he returned, he saw the waiting for him and he started to walk back to the apartment with them. The three were quiet, especially Myne, and it made him look at them from the corner of his eyes. They stepped into the complex and the elevator before going up and exiting before entering the apartment. Maaya's, and the family's, homes were the only residence he would actively go into willingly. Unless he had no choice, he wouldn't go to someone's home within a ten foot pole. It also helped that he had known her for several years and considered her a close friend, his only friend really.

He sat down in the living room after spreading his cloak out and began to take inventory. He leaned back a bit and let Myne sit on his lap while he did so, being mindful that she was near him. Several minutes seemed to go by before that eventually turned into an hour and a plate of hot food was set next to him. He nodded his appreciation before gesturing Myne to get up to go eat at the table while he mixed medicine in his mortar and pestle. The only sound for the next fifteen minutes was silverware against the plates, the grinding from him, and the tap water being turned on and off.

They put their dishes in the sink and rinsed them off before placing them in the dishwasher for later. He stopped when Myne hugged his arm tightly before wishing him a goodnight, making him bid her a goodnight as well. Slowly but surely, he stopped finding something to occupy himself with and just sat there in silence. What was he doing, getting attached to things like these? Getting attached to people? The last time he got attached to people, they were ripped away from him as quick as a sniper round. Could he really be the reason more innocents died because he decided to let his guard down?

His thoughts were interrupted when Maaya sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, setting it to a low volume.

"She's asleep now." She said.

"Hmm." He hummed quietly.

"Why did you say you won't spend the night?" She asked.

"I won't. It would put you two at risk of an attack should someone see me come to this apartment. There are people in the world who would take advantage of such things." He answered.

"Six, we'll be fine." She tried to reassure.

"This is the way." He said.

"What is the way? You slowly distancing yourself thinking we wouldn't notice?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and just turned back to his items. To be honest, he never really had a conversation like this and it confused him as to what to do next.

"Six... why are you distancing yourself from us?" She asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I do not wish for you two to have a target on your backs. As I have stated before, there are people who would take advantage of these types of things." He said calmly.

"We'll deal with them. You're worried about us, which goes to show you care about us." She said.

"That is not what I am saying." He said.

"That's what you're implying. You don't trust anyone, but me and that's fine. You promised the family you'd look after Myne which goes to show you aren't completely emotionless." She said.

"..." He just stayed silent like before.

"That just makes you human. Despite what some say, that you're more machine than man, you go around helping people without asking too much in return. You don't go around flaunting your skills or trying to brag that you've taken down Grimm larger than buildings. The most you do is your task then be left to your own devices. People respect you for not only doing things some of us can't fathom to do, but also giving us hope in these dark times." She continued.

"I do not understand." He tilted his head.

"What I'm trying to say is finding something to personally protect makes you human. I can tell you're a soldier judging by your manner of speech and the way you operate, but sometimes you move like a machine. You caring for this little girl who lost her family goes to show that there's something good underneath that armor of yours. A machine cares about getting results and doing its tasks. A man cares about the ones he fights for and the ones he's sworn to protect." She explained.

"I... see..." He said with uncertainty. She smiled a bit and decided it was a good time to go to bed. While she didn't want to leave him just sitting there confused, she knew he would figure it out sooner or later. He was smart. She meant what she said though, that he was more human than machine. Back then, when she first met him, that's all she saw. Now, he was just a quiet man who operated like a machine when the time called for it.

Six just sat there, motionless in the dark living room. He let his thoughts mull over a bit when she explained that to him. There were times when he felt more human and it was when he was here. Every time he saw them, a little part of him felt less robotic and more flesh and bone. Though, he just assumed that was due to the lack of human interaction he's had within recent years. He didn't want to get too close for two reasons.

First, he didn't want to be the reason his only friend and the one he was supposed to take care of died. The second reason was that it felt unnatural at times. That feeling slowly dissipated as time passed and he stood up before collecting his things and leaving the apartment quietly. They may not like it, but keeping himself at a certain distance was the best way to keep them safe. Something about getting close to them and having their lives ripped away from him didn't sit right at all.

After all, he did promise he'd take them out to see the world someday.

* * *

Glynda knew something was wrong the moment she stepped into Ozpin's office. That dreadful feeling was almost second nature to her during times like this and it only got worse when she saw Qrow there. He looked haunted in a sense, like he had managed to witness one of the most cruel acts in the world with his very own eyes. A part of her was almost afraid to ask. Ozpin didn't look even remotely bothered by the current situation.

"Ah, Glynda, so glad you could make it." He said warmly.

"Someone has to keep you in check and Qrow is here, which I assume something is happening." She said as she set a stack of papers on the desk.

"He has recently gotten some information about a current wolf." He said.

"She's not gonna like it, Oz." Qrow said.

"Like what?" She asked.

"Show her." Ozpin gestured. She narrowed her eyes as Qrow sighed and nodded before tapping his scroll a few times and pulling up a series of images before tossing it to her. Almost immediately, she had the urge to vomit as her eyes widened in horror. Each picture was of Tyrian's mutilated body scattered across the forest. Some parts had been decomposing as maggots were infested within the open wounds. The more she swiped and looked at more, the more she wanted to go wash her eyes. She just threw her head in the opposite direction and held out the scroll, making him grab it and put it in his pocket.

"Who was that?!" She demanded.

"One of Salem's pawns. Apparently the guy's name is Tyrian, a well known serial killer over in Mistral and other parts of the world." Qrow answered.

"Which means he's against Salem just as we are." Ozpin nodded.

"Ozpin, are you insane?! I can understand taking an interest in this man, but this is borderline fanaticism!" She said.

"It is not. Glynda, think about it... he's someone who is not afraid to indulge in dirty work and he's completely under the radar. We could use someone like him to assist Qrow out in the field." He said.

"No! He may not be against us, but he's too dangerous to even be let near this place. We're out of our league here, Ozpin. Qrow, how did you find out he was one of Salem's operatives?" She asked.

"Tortured the guy for days. Had to stay a distance away and damn near hide half the time as I listened in and even then had I not been an avian, he would've spotted me. What he did wasn't human, the way he broke someone of that caliber down. From what Tyrian said, he was one of Salem's most useful pawns before the guy shut him up and twisted his own words against him." He answered.

"This is the person you want to be associated with us?" Glynda asked.

"Yes." Ozpin answered instantly.

"You're insane." She said.

"So you've told me numerous times." He said.

"I really mean it this time." She said.

"If I can add something, we're beginning to lose more trust from the settlements. The one that the three of us visited when we first encountered him, they don't really want us to help out anymore." Qrow said.

"Explain." Ozpin said.

"They said that there's no point in hiring Huntsmen and Huntresses when half of the members already do what we do." Qrow answered.

"Interesting." Ozpin leaned forward.

"No, not interesting. That's just one of the many settlements that has shut us off now. I'm lucky I actually managed to get into contact with that settlement before we were completely shunned. It's concerning that they show more trust in someone who barely speaks than us." She said.

"... I will handle this." He sighed.

"If it means forcing them to submit, then that's only going to worsen things. Word spreads fast within the frontier despite the lack of tech out there. They've already shown more trust in the guy like Glynda said." Qrow took a sip from his flask.

"That's not including the matter with the city." She sighed.

"If it is about the Vytal-" Ozpin started.

"That goes to show you haven't been paying attention to the news. People don't trust us or the authorities at the moment and are taking matters into their own hands. I went into town the other day and immediately noticed that there's murals on numerous walls of him." She said. To emphasize her point, she went on her scroll and looked up a few images of it.

They all showed a picture of a cloaked individual standing over fallen White Fang members underneath the broken moon. The longer she stared at it, the more her dread grew.

Ozpin sighed when he remembered going to a council meeting and seeing some of them have ten years added to their faces. The constant stress of the civilians demanding them to do better and the civil unrest of the homeless seemed to take a toll on them. The upper class viewed Six as a monster and a demon, but the homeless and lower class viewed him as a hero that did his job and left.

"That is troublesome indeed." He sighed.

"Oz, he's throwing everything into chaos at the moment. He's got criminals running with their tails between their legs and the White Fang scurrying into the gutters. We're dealing with something else here." Qrow said.

"On top of that, people are starting to view this whole ordeal as a fault in the system. That one man, a complete enigma, had not only managed to dig up an entire White Fang branch, but also scare them into submission. You know some of the ones that were arrested and incarcerated committed suicide? That's the effects he's had on them. They'd rather take their own lives on their terms than have him do it." She informed.

"I get it, you two are displeased with the way I'm handling things." Ozpin sighed.

"I don't care because I'm not going to stop. You need to hear this now more than ever. He has more followers in the poorer districts, and that includes both faunus and humans. A majority of the faunus community either fear him with every fiber of their being or respect him to some degree." She said.

"You might want to chalk that up with the city folk for the most part." Qrow chimed in.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because the faunus of the frontier feel safe around him. I've asked a few of them that have personally met him and they said he doesn't even raise his weapon at them. The most they feel is slight unease whenever he's near them, but otherwise they're fine. He's just quiet I guess." He shrugged.

"That's informative." Ozpin nodded.

"The part about him being quiet isn't. We've known this fact for years. If he has even the worst criminals running scared than that means we're dealing with something far more dangerous than what we had initially thought." She said.

"I am aware that he is dangerous, you two do not need to keep reminding me." He sighed.

"Well, it seems no matter how many times it still hasn't gotten through to that thick skull of yours." She said.

"I'm going to choose to ignore that." He commented.

"Aside from your fanatical obsession, Port and Oobleck finally came back." She said.

"What did they find out?" He asked.

"The town that we first encountered him didn't take too kindly to them trying to purchase the Wyvern tooth. It seems that it's special to them and they weren't too keen on letting them buy it for any price. Plus, it's become a relic to them so there's no hope in getting it now." She said.

"I see. That's quite unfortunate. Anything else?" He asked.

"Ms. Valkyrie and Mr. Ren are starting to display some insubordination to the rules. Ozpin, I don't care if you're the Headmaster, if you don't do something about them then I will." She said.

"Injuries are common among Beacon. The students must learn to deal with such things." He said.

"Not when Ms. Valkyrie actively put team CRDL in the infirmary and threatened Ms. Belladonna." She said.

"That is something I will personally handle myself. I mean it." He said.

"You better. Otherwise, that's all." She said and began to start walking towards the elevator.

"Yeah, I got nothing else to report. So see ya." Qrow said as he dusted his pants and began to follow her to the elevator. The two of them watched as the doors closed slowly and let out a relieved sigh as the migraine that had began to fester lessened in severity. Both of them were starting to see that Ozpin was slowly falling off the deep end with this man. His obsession was just as bad as Ironwoods and it was beginning to affect the people they were sworn to protect.

"He's starting to lose it." She said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, he is." He nodded and the two of them were thrown into silence.

"How did you find out about him torturing Salem's underling?" She turned to him. Almost immediately, she noticed that he looked ten years older as he leaned against the elevator wall.

"Oz told me to go to that settlement that we encountered him at. He said for me to just remain in the back and see how often he came around, turns out it's every four months. I was just observing in the back like I was told to and I figured I'd have a little drink, but you know how I am." He said.

"A drunk?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Funny... but yeah. Got a little too into the drinks and saw Salem's little scorpion come out after killing a family. I didn't realize that it happened because it happened so fast, but when I actually realized that it did, it was already too late. The townspeople already had the house sealed off and weren't letting anybody in. I'm pretty sure he was close to that family, Glynda. The way he made his way to there and stepped up made it seem like he really knew them..." He said.

"Qrow... don't tell me..." She swallowed.

"I don't think that he knew that Tyrian was one of Salem's underlings, because even I didn't know. I think that he just went out for blood and wanted his pound of flesh. Glynda... what he did to that bastard is something even I wouldn't wish upon someone, and you know me." He said.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"He tore him apart, and I just don't mean physically. That's something only a monster could do to someone. I watched as he ripped him to shreds and basically made Tyrian spill everything he knew about Salem to him. Miraculously, the little bastard didn't say anything about Ozpin, but he did tell that guy about Salem." He said. She noticed how he seemed to squeeze his wrist tightly. It was something he does whenever he's stressed and he's out of alcohol.

"Is there anything else?" She asked.

"One survivor. A little girl with blue hair and golden eyes. She seemed close to him." He said as he leaned back against the wall and looked up at the lights.

"I take it you didn't tell this to Ozpin?" She asked.

"I had to tell him about the family's fate, but not about the girl. Despite me being a nonchalant drunk most of the time, I know when to keep my mouth shut and fuck off. Us doing something to that little girl means death and I ain't too keen on dying so soon." He sighed.

"You're scared... aren't you?" She asked.

"... I'm not saying. You're not?" He asked.

"Of course I am. I'm terrified of the man. Someone who not only has killed three hundred White Fang, but also two experienced Huntsmen, and an ancient Grimm of that scale is bound to draw some fear." She said. It went silent for a while, even after the two had exited the elevator.

"I didn't tell Ozpin because I know he's going to try to use that little girl to his advantage. Summer's told me how that girl at the guild is I guess his only friend, so there's another factor. He's even got some of the more violent settlements out there shaking in their boots." He said.

"Just in Vale?" She asked.

"Yeah. They've said they're scared of what will happen if a large horde of Grimm come their way, but they're terrified of him. You know it's bad when a person in a cloak puts more fear into you than Grimm." He shook his head as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Are you going back out there?" She asked when she noticed him start to walk towards the bullheads.

"Yeah, duty's calling." He said and started to walk, but stopped halfway through. "Hey..." He called out.

"Hmm?" She hummed.

"Make sure he doesn't do anything to Ruby and Yang, okay? Both Summer and Tai will have my head if anything happens to them." He said.

"I'll do my best." She nodded.

"Good... take care, Glynda." He smirked before turning around and leaving. As she watched him leave, a sigh escaped her lips when she walked down the hall. Next week they had a field trip to get more hands on experience, and she just hoped that the man wouldn't be there. She didn't know what to do if he was there. Though, if he was there then maybe he could do something about Ren and Nora's behavior. Despite them listening to their team leader and her, they still showed signs of insubordination at times.

Why was she the only responsible one at times like these?

* * *

**So, yes, I am really sorry I haven't uploaded in almost a month. I had to rewrite this chapter like three times because I felt like it wasn't good enough for you guys or it was rushed. While yes, I do want to get the plot going, I also want to have a small filler chapter to show what's going on in the other's perspective. I'm sorry if your guys' reviews aren't answered because there's a lot of them, and I mean more than what I usually see, but that's cool. You guys can review, I don't mind... just please don't review on every chapter, it's just a pet peeve of mine. I've also tried to work on my other stories because I've been having writer's block for all three of them, and this is the only one that I haven't. Also really sorry if this chapter seemed kind of iffy. Some may say that I broke Six's character somewhat.**

**On an unrelated note, I don't really have a schedule for uploads because then it just makes me rush to get a chapter out when I just want to give you guys a decent quality chapter. So three things: Sorry for not answering or addressing reviews this chapter, I don't know when the next one will be up (probably in the next few weeks, so around this time interval), and thank you all for reviewing.**

**I'm actually grateful for you guys. Despite some not always being satisfied with the chapter or stories on my account, I truly do appreciate you guys and I wish you all the best. Thanks for giving this guy here something to look forward to the next time and I will see you all later. Goodbye, guys.**


	21. Chapter 21: Setting Them Straight

Six had decided to spend some time with Myne while Maaya was at work. It would be his way of being there for her before he had decided to leave for the next kingdom. He had returned early in the morning and managed to catch them before they actually entered the guild. Like always, she rushed up to him and hugged his leg while he just stood there. He nodded and let her tiny hand grasp his cloak before walking next to him. In her hand was a book that he had observed before handing it back to her. Nothing short of an educational book for her.

She talked about how she was feeling recently and he just quietly listened to her. The two of them just walked around the settlement, drawing eyes from many, and continued about their day. Their first stop was the convenience store to pick up some supplies. She gazed at all the sweets while he just observed canned food items, gauging how much it was before selecting it. A small tug on his cloak made him look to his right before seeing her with a handful of candy, dropping some of it before picking it up.

"Oops." She whispered.

"That is too much." He said.

"Can I have it though?" She asked.

"No." He answered.

"Why?" She asked.

"It is not nutritional." He answered. She puffed her cheeks and put it back while he just stared at her before picking up some more items up. He stopped when he saw a can of peaches and picked it up before going to the counter with all of the items, paying for it and stuffing them in his bag. The two of them walked to their next destination, which was the blacksmith in town and entered the building. She had to lean up on her toes to see over the counter as he rung the bell, hearing nothing for a few minutes. He saw her try to reach it and grunt a bit before sliding it over to her. She smiled and hit the bell a couple of times before he slid it away from her; there was an annoyed comment from the back and he saw they saw the blacksmith.

"I see the young lass is here. How are you?" He asked.

"Good..." She said quietly.

"I'm glad. What can I do for ya, you big golem?" He asked to Six.

"I need more throwing knives." Six answered as he browsed a catalog. His interest was suddenly on some throwing knives infused with Dust, bringing about several effects.

"Ah, I see you're looking at those. They definitely will get you out of a situation or two." The blacksmith said.

"How much are they?" Six asked.

"A good bit. This is one of those situations I can't give you a discount on. Settlements been losing some funds lately and I need to keep business flowing in order to stay afloat." The blacksmith said.

"Why is the settlement losing funds?" Six asked.

"I ain't got that much of a clue, but the guild might know more. That guild girl that everyone talks to seemed stressed about it the most. Saw her looking pretty down one day and I couldn't for the life of me fathom why." The man said as he scratched his scraggly beard.

"I see..." Six said.

"Otherwise, it's gonna be three-hundred lien for twenty." The blacksmith said.

"What type of Dust does it use?" Six asked the shorter man.

"Well, we currently have fire, ice, lightening, and gravity." He answered.

"Give me five of each." Six said and put the certain amount of lien on the counter.

"Alright, it might take a few hours to a few days. I guess it's not so different from what you usually do. So farewell to the both of ya." The blacksmith said.

"..." Six nodded as Myne waved before gripping the back of his cloak and following him out the door. For the most part, she had tuned out the conversation and read her book while they just exchanged. She didn't like talking as much anymore ever since the incident. Every face to her could be another bad person in her eyes and she didn't want to experience that ordeal again. As the two of them walked and the day seemed to slowly drone on, he noticed she clutched his cloak tighter than usual as more people started to crowd around them. Her eyes darted around and he could faintly hear her heartbeat start to quicken and she began to hyperventilate.

It was getting too loud for her and he started to guide her towards the guild; making sure to avoid people on the way. As the two stepped inside, he waited for the few people in line to finish their deed before he stepped up to see Maaya's eyes widen a bit.

"You're here earlier than I expected." She said.

"Where are Myne's headphones?" He asked.

"Is she having an panic attack?" She asked worriedly.

"Her heart rate was elevating and she was holding onto me more than usual." He said. She nodded and sighed before reaching in the drawer and pulling out a pair of black headphones, then handed them to him. He grabbed them and bent down to Myne's level before slipping the headphones on her ears and watching as she visibly relaxed. His sensitive hearing picked up her heart rate return to its normal level and her breathing slowed. She looked up at him and he noticed that some tears brimmed in her eyes a bit.

"Sorry..." She apologized as she slipped them off momentarily.

"Do not apologize. It is not needed." He said. Just as she was about to say something else, a gentle hand gripped hers and she looked up to see Maaya. She felt the older woman guide her behind the counter and sit her down on the pillow. A sense of ease filled her as time passed, throwing her into her own little world.

"Thanks for bringing her here before it got too bad." Maaya said.

"How often does this happen?" He asked.

"I don't know how to give you an accurate answer. It happens at random times and I'm doing my best to find out the frequency. She doesn't feel comfortable talking to people and usually stays quiet when someone addresses her. I think the only people she really talks to is you and I, but you're gone half the time so there's that." She explained.

"... I will find a solution." He said.

"I'm sure you will." She nodded. Her eyes went back to her papers and went back up to him when she saw him looking around the guild, noticing that there was barely anybody inside. Even the assistant was gone.

"Where is everyone?" He asked.

"Most are relaxing, and some decided not to come today." She sighed.

"Why?" He asked. His eyes followed her fingers when she pointed to the board. There were bounties, as usual, but no one had taken them for some reason.

"The Headmaster of Beacon is forcing us to keep numerous bounties for the students when they drop by. He also managed to get the council to cut our funds... it's gotten worse over the years though and the outer settlements are beginning to become fed up with the treatment." She said.

"..." He just stared at her while she sighed and continued her work. This was a problem. Ozpin's meddling with the livelihood of the settlements has gotten out of hand at this point in time, just to get into contact with him. In time, he needed to be handled...

"What?" She asked when she noticed him staring at her.

"Why are you working while everyone else is gone?" He asked.

"I've had to work during times like these before. Plus, I'm training another person soon so my workload should decrease a bit. With me taking care of Myne now, I've decided to not work so much in order to make time for her." She answered.

"When do the students arrive?" He asked.

"In two days." She answered.

"..." He just went to the board and picked several close bounties up. A part of him didn't care if these were reserved for the Beacon students, the Grimm were a problem and he wouldn't have the settlement in danger because the Headmaster pulled some strings. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips when she saw him place the bounties on the counter. She should have known he would do something like this.

"You know if you do these then I can't reward you, right?" She asked.

"I do not care for a reward. The Grimm are in close proximity to the settlement and could potentially become a problem." He answered in his usual tone. She just shook her head and stamped them before watching as he folded them up and placed them in his bag. He had meant what he said about not caring if he received a reward or not, half the time he wasn't looking for one anyways. While he was here, it just meant it gave him something to do and killed time until the throwing knives he requested were done. It also gave him the opportunity to find some nearby herbs.

If the settlement was losing funds then he would just give them a gem or two in order to generate some revenue. Not only would this give them some currency, but it would also bring up moral and give them a reason to keep the Grimm at bay. Plus, it really wasn't that big of a deal giving the gems up, he didn't use it for anything else but trading. He had some that he's kept for years as rewards or finding in the world, but never had anything to do with them.

This would be a mere act to keep them in their current status. Maybe someday they would finally break from the clutches of the city.

* * *

It took longer than what he had originally expected to complete the bounties. While they were near one another, each one had to planned out carefully and be executed with precision. It actually took three days to finally get each one done and he figured it would be a good time to head back to check up on everything and grab his new equipment. The pouches on his bag were an addition he added over the years to accommodate for the large amount of items he had acquired.

He entered the guild and as usual, ignored the glances, before going up to the counter. Maaya glanced at him and sent a friendly smile while he nodded in return before leaning over the counter and looking at Myne. She gasped in delight when his shadow caught her attention and she rushed around the counter to hug his leg. While he was used to her giving him affection, him locking up would always remain. It just wasn't as bad as before with her.

"Maaya, can I go with Six for a while?" Myne asked.

"That's alright. Just be back before I get off of work. We still have dinner to look forward to." Maaya nodded.

"Okay." Myne nodded. She tried to pull Six but failed when she realized he was looking at Maaya.

"Have Ren and Nora stopped by?" He asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. They took up one of the bounties that was a bit of walking distance. I think it's about half an hour walk from here to the destination." Maaya tapped her chin.

"..." He nodded and turned around, walking to the door and opening it quietly. Both him and Myne walked through it and she clutched his cloak, talking to him while he just nodded at each thing she said. It was good for her to be talking to him about certain topics, a way to relieve stress from her system. In time, he would come up with a solution to help her. The only downside is he didn't know how long it would take.

That familiar tug on his cloak made him look down to see her looking up at him, making him bend down into a crouching position to be at her level.

"Can we..." She hesitated a bit as tears welled in the corners of her eyes. A few seconds went by and they started to fall silently. Several sniffles were heard as she tried to wipe away the tears and apologize for crying so much. He didn't understand why she apologized so much, letting out her anguish was considered healthy and he'd rather have that than what he did.

"Myne." He called out, making her look up at him with puffy eyes.

"You do not need to apologize for crying about their deaths. I will not be bothered by you doing such an action." He said.

"Okay..." She sniffled.

"Finish your sentence." He said.

"Can we... go see the graves?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded. She gave a wobbly smile and wiped away the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand before grabbing his cloak and leading him to the grave. The walk took a couple of minutes, but he knew where it was when they entered a familiar area. Just outside was a small path that held an equally small area surrounded by cherry blossoms. It was nice in his opinion, a nice place to have their gravestone in the middle. He watched as she walked up to it and stared at their names carved on the elegant gravestone. Tears started to slip and drip onto the ground below her. For a while, he just stood there and let her cry quietly before he sat down next to her.

All he did was just silently sit there staring at it. He had no tears to shed. The concept of death was so familiar with him that it was like second nature at this point in his life. It was cold, unflinching, and it did not discriminate who it took. That would be the best way to describe him whenever he dealt with enemies. This location though... it was pure, warm like the sun if he dare say. Although the family was gone, they would never be forgotten. In his eyes, they weren't truly dead. All three of them would be remembered by the people who cherished them. He was no exception.

Life would continue on though. It had to, for others.

The two of them sat there for a while, neither one breaking the sweet silence that was basked upon them. She wobbled in place a bit and eventually leaned against his left leg and slowly started to drift off. All he did was continue to stare at the grave for the next half an hour, reminiscing about the three of them. Not long after, he nodded his head at the grave and carefully scooped Myne up into his arms. He took his hood off and set it onto his left shoulder before placing her head there, providing enough cushion to where she wouldn't be uncomfortable. Although he didn't feel much while visiting, he wouldn't say that it was a bad thing. It brought a sense of comfort to him to finally see their graves, even if it was empty.

The next time he visited them, he would take them on a journey. He would finally take Maaya out for once and take Myne to spread the ashes. Not only would he give Maaya the chance to experience the world a bit, but it would also provide him and Myne a final goodbye to the family. They had spent longer that what he had expected since the sun was beginning to go down, and he still needed to pick up the knives.

His walking speed wasn't slow, but it wasn't quick either. It was just that calm, controlled pace that made him feel at ease. He felt her arms squeeze around his neck slightly whenever he adjusted her a bit. People looked at him, but like always he ignored the stares. He went into the weapon's shop and opened the door, making a knocking noise to capture the older man's attention.

"Alright, alright, hold your damn horses-" He suddenly stopped when he saw Six standing there with Myne sleeping in his arms. His eyes widened at the sight of his helmet but he quickly calmed down and his facial features softened. The older man chuckled a bit before shaking his head.

"About time you got your shit. I'll keep it brief since she's sleepin' and I know how you are." The older man said.

"Thank you." Six nodded.

"Anytime. Now get on out of here so you can put that girl to bed." The blacksmith shooed as he handed Six a cloth wrap full of the knives. The Spartan nodded and wrapped his hand around it and exited out the door. His walk to the guild was quiet, even when he opened the door and saw Maaya finishing up her work with the assistant. Everyone else had begun to leave the establishment and eventually the assistant did too, but not before bidding them a goodnight. He saw Maaya smile at the two of them and she nodded before gently taking Myne into her arms.

The three of them walked out of the guild and walked on the sidewalk quietly. She informed him that Ren and Nora, along with their teammates had completed the bounty and were currently staying at the inn for the night. He nodded and walked to the apartment, taking Myne into his arms and waking her up to get her ready for bed. While she was happy he was near, she was too tired to actually comprehend that he was the one putting her to sleep. Once she was asleep, he closed the door quietly and sat down in the living room after spreading his cloak out.

"Are you going to be here when she wakes up?" Maaya asked.

"No." He answered.

"So the same as usual?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." He answered curtly.

"One day you'll have to stay the night, you know?" She asked.

"I am aware." He nodded. She hummed a bit and turned on the TV. The constant surfing of the channels made him look up before it eventually landed on the news. Both of them watched the events that were happening in the city without much care. It seemed his purging of the White Fang branch had stirred up a bit of civil unrest. His attention was fixed on the mural that the lower class seemed to have painted of him on numerous walls. Maaya's eyes widened then she looked at him staring at the TV. All he did was shake his head and go back to his items, creating some medicine.

"Six... you were in the city, weren't you?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and just continue to create medicine. A quiet sigh escaped her lips when she already knew the answer judging by his silence. She wasn't mad to be honest, a little disturbed, but not even remotely angry with him. The White Fang were as much of a problem as bandits and someone needed to do something.

"Where did you go with Myne today?" She changed the subject.

"We visited the graves." He answered.

"How was it?" She asked.

"She cried. I did not." He said.

"I didn't expect you to." She rolled her eyes. "I mean how was it? Like, did it make either of you feel better?" She asked.

"... It was more beneficial to her than me. My current status is not important." He answered.

"It's okay to feel something every once in a while. I may preach this numerous times, but I mean it each one time... you're human. Despite you acting like a machine when you work, you feeling something for the people you grew close to is a human thing to experience. No one deems you weak for mourning for their deaths." She tried to explain.

"..." He nodded and turned his head back to the TV. They just watched the news for an hour before she got into more comfortable clothing before returning to the couch. She had decided to let her hair run loose and lied down on the couch. Eventually, she started to drift off and fell asleep. He looked down at his hands and clenched them before reaching up to his helmet and pulling it off. It was gently set next to him and he just stared forward. Taking his helmet off at times felt relaxing and it was nice to feel the air against his face. His eyes caught sight of her shuffle around in her sleep and he put his helmet back on before grabbing a nearby blanket, covering her before collecting his things.

Just like before, he left in the middle of the night and shut the door with the faintest click. Instead of finding a nearby cave to reside in, he decided to go the the grave and think. The walk there was quicker since he knew where it was this time, but he took his time actually getting there. As soon as he made it to the area, he noticed that the trees seemed to glow a bit in the moonlight. He sat down in front of the gravestone and took off his helmet, setting it down next to him.

For the next several minutes, he just let his thoughts run about the family. He reached into his bag and pulled out the little book Myne and her sister made for him, sifting through each page carefully. Remembering them was about the only thing he could do for them at the moment.

* * *

He gathered his things and patrolled around the settlement and went out into the wild for a few hours. Nothing out of the ordinary and he decided to go to the guild to pick up some bounties. As soon as he entered, he saw that it was more crowded than usual. He heard Maaya announce that there were new bounties available and a wave of cheers bounced off the walls. All he did was go in the back and wait patiently. There was bustling chatter and he just stood at the usual tall table while everyone else gushed about the bounties. He could tell they were eager to work and get paid.

Minutes droned on by as everyone received their bounties. Some were in it for the money and challenge while others saw it as a way to keep their home safe. For the most part, he was just in it to buy them breathing room and give him something to do. As the crowd started to disperse and the board was slightly more open, he walked up to it and stared at it. He noticed that some bounties weren't close to the settlement and that didn't bother him too much. This might also give him the opportunity to find one or two beacons.

As he observed the board, the door to the guild suddenly opened and he heard an excited squeal. He suddenly moved to the left before a body crashed into the board, knocking some of the bounties off of it. A thump on the ground made him look down to see a familiar head of orange hair and a groan met his ears. He shook his head and sighed before bending down and picking Nora up off the ground, dusting her off.

"Six!" She cried out excitedly and suddenly hugged him. He locked up a bit before sighing quietly.

"Hello, Nora." He nodded.

"You never said you were in town!" She said.

"I never do." He said. She let go of him and stuck her tongue out, ignoring the countless eyes that were on them. To everybody else, it was like spotting a rare creature seeing someone actually make physical contact with Six without either being thrown or him going on the defensive.

"So what have you been up to?" She asked.

"Work." He said.

"So the same as last time?" She asked.

"Yes. Where is Ren?" He asked.

"He had to finish doing some stuff in the inn. I think'll he'll be here in a minute." She said. Almost immediately after she said that, the boy walked through the door and widened his eyes when he caught sight of Six. He didn't rush, but his pace was quicker than what some would expect.

"I didn't know you were in town." Ren said.

"A lot of people don't." Six said.

"That's a lie and you know it." Maaya commented from the desk. He chose to ignore this and keep his attention on the pups. All they did was glance at her then turn back to him. Both of them began to tell him about what had happened the last time they saw him, to which Nora told for the most part while Ren occasionally made comments. They had said they had been improving steadily, but he knew they were only giving him their side of the story. He knew they were making mistakes, everyone did. He was more concerned about their little situation with the Vytal festival and almost killing that girl.

Just before he could ask them about the topic, the guild door opened and he saw their teammates come inside along with several other individuals. He recognized Summer's daughters along with their teammates from the tunnels. As he observed them for a few moments, he caught sight of Goodwitch looking at him while tightening her grip on her riding crop. His eyes narrowed a bit before he turned his attention away from them to the board. There weren't any particularly close bounties, a few that were about a day's walk away, but nothing he couldn't handle.

He listened to Nora begin to talk rapidly while everyone else just listened in the back. This went on for a few minutes and he sighed quietly before looking at her.

"Calm down." He said. Almost instantly, she did, much to the shock of Goodwitch and RWBY. They had never really seen her follow orders on the spot and it showed how much respect she had for him. To them, her and Ren were always ones who didn't like being told what to do by anyone. The only reason they followed Jaune's orders was because he was their team leader.

"Professor, can Ren and I go with Six?" Nora asked.

"No." Glynda said instantly.

"Why not?" Ren asked.

"He's dangerous, you two know this." She answered.

"What? No he's not." Nora argued.

"He is, Ms. Valkyrie. I will not have my students associate with someone so dangerous." Glynda said.

"He isn't that dangerous!" Nora screamed. Her fist clenched tightly the longer they stared at her professor. Everyone's eyes were suddenly on them, but they didn't care. Neither of them were willing to back down.

"With all due respect Ms. Goodwitch, we're aware Six is dangerous but he isn't the type to directly harm us. Despite him being absent in our lives for years, we've heard enough to know he isn't willing to put us in harm's way directly." Ren said. As usual, he was the voice of reason between him and Nora. He understood why she was so willing to defend Six; he was possibly the only father figure she had in her life and defending him came natural. While he was quick to defend Six also, he preferred to calm himself before anything escalated out of control.

"It doesn't matter, he isn't someone we need to trifle with or associate with. You two are already on thin ice after the Vytal festival and insubordination you have been displaying. Do not escalate it even further." She said.

"..." Six just stared at them and looked towards Maaya, who was tugging at her jabot. Whenever something unpleasant happened in the guild, it wasn't uncommon for her to tug at it. It was her way of alleviating stress. Although she had most of the authority in the guild, she usually wasn't one to budge in conversations, especially if it meant two outside parties. She saw him looking at her and nodded before reaching down, presumably to put the headphones over Myne's ears.

"Enough." He said. It was a decimal louder than his usual tone, but it held enough weight to silence everything in the guild. His tone held no room for argument and nearly everyone froze in place. A few of them shivered at the feeling that radiated off of him.

"Six, tell her you're not-" Nora started, only to fall silent when his gaze swept over her. She shivered in place for a second before he gazed at Ren, who did the same. Neither one of them decided to speak up before his gaze swept towards the others.

"Outside." He ordered. Ren and Nora nodded quietly before obeying him and heading outside, followed by the others with the exception of Goodwitch. She just stared at him with distrust while he did the same. The weight of the room seemed to increase and some people felt so uncomfortable that they felt the need to leave.

"Ehhhh..." Maaya just nervously held her hands up in order to placate the two of them.

"Why are you here?" Glynda asked towards Six.

"My reasons are my own. I'm not here to create a conflict and I hope you are not here to do the same." He said calmly. There was a hidden weight behind his words that Glynda picked up. Should she cause any trouble, then he would be there to swiftly take her out. She didn't know why she was acting so hostile towards him; perhaps it was the need to protect her students, or it was the fact that she witnessed what he could do. He was a monster that hid behind a tattered cloak. The literal embodiment of death.

The two of them were brought out by their stare down when Myne shuffled towards him nervously. She tugged on his cloak while staring at Glynda. The weight of the room seemed to lift instantly as he knelt down to her level.

"Are you leaving?" Myne asked.

"Not at the moment." He answered.

"Are you going to tell me when?" She asked, wiping her nose a bit.

"Possibly. Why are you wiping your nose?" He asked.

"Oh... I think I'm sick again." She answered.

"... Did you not take your medicine?" He asked.

"I didn't like it. It was gross." She stuck her tongue out.

"You are not meant to like it. When Maaya gives you your medicine, you take it." He said, fishing in his bag and handing her a bottle. She nodded and shuffled towards the desk, bumping into the corner and wincing before climbing up onto Maaya's lap then slipping her headphones on. It wasn't before long did she pick her book back up and start reading it.

"Six, there are some bounties available." Maaya said.

"Hmm..." He hummed quietly before looking at the board and taking a few. There wasn't a reward for some of them, but he picked them up anyways.

"I'm sorry if some of these don't have a reward." She apologized.

"It is not a problem. I take it none are of within proximity to the settlement?" He asked.

"No, a lot of the newer members took the ones that were close to the settlement, so you don't have to worry. There is one that might become a problem in the future" She said and handed him one from one of the drawers.

"I see..." He nodded before taking it and placing the selected ones on the counter.

"Are you going to teach Ren and Nora like last time?" She asked.

"Yes." He said.

"No." Glynda said instantly, making him look at her.

"..." He just silently stared at her before walking to the door.

"I never gave you permission!" She said.

"I never asked and I don't care." He responded before walking out the door. She just fumed in place while Maaya just shook her head.

"The nerve of that man." Glynda said heatedly.

"I would say that he's like that with other people, but then I would be lying to you." Maaya said.

"What?" Glynda turned to her.

"You're from Beacon. Nearly everyone in this settlement isn't too fond of individuals from that place. It was a miracle the mayor even allowed you all to come here." Maaya said.

"I know." Glynda sighed.

"Although, despite you all having pretty much free reign due to your connections, you have no choice but to listen to a higher ranking member for this bounty." Maaya said calmly.

"It's not needed." Glynda waved and turned to leave.

"You seem to forget I'm the one who issues bounties in this establishment. We already are not too fond of you all, so I would advise at least take this into consideration." Maaya closed her eyes and smiled. The undertone she was using wasn't one she used too often, but it did get the point across whenever someone thought they knew better. It was as cold as a tundra and held the weight of the world.

Glynda had to suppress a shiver as she stared at the woman.

"Fine, who is the higher ranking member?" She sighed.

"Six." Maaya answered instantly.

"Him?" Glynda blinked.

"He's the only one available at the moment and he has experience." Maaya said.

"I thought he didn't work for you all?" Glynda asked.

"He doesn't. Everybody here knows he doesn't work for us, therefore he can't simply be bought for his services. People come to him for advice and he usually gives it if he's in town." Maaya said.

"... Are you sure there's nobody else?" Glynda asked.

"Everyone else left before you all could take the bounties. You're welcome to try and look for someone else, but I would suggest Six on this one." Maaya said and turned back to her papers. From that point on, she ignored Glynda's sighs and heard her exit out of the guild.

There was a small tug on her jabot and she looked down to see Myne looking at her.

"Can we get food?" She asked.

"Sure. I think we have some leftovers at the apartment." Maaya smiled before taking her hand and walking out of the guild. It was lunch time anyways.

* * *

Six watched Glynda exit the guild and stop in front of him, staring at him while he did the same. His attention snapped to Maaya and Myne exit out shortly after, giving a wave to him while he nodded. He ignored the stares he was given and opened up his bag, sifting through it before grabbing a bounty. It wasn't anything special, just a simple Ursa Major that could be handled easily. Just before he started to leave, he went to the gunsmith to rent two hunting rifles before slinging them over his shoulder. A couple minutes later, they left.

He just walked behind all of them as they made their way to the location of the bounty. Glynda tried to get behind him, but he just kept stopping until she was in front again, but she kept sending glances at him.

"Hey, Six, what are those for?" Nora asked as she hopped up on a log and started to walk on it.

"Hunting." He answered.

"Why use those when you already have a gun?" Ren asked.

"They are not for me, they are for you two." He answered.

"What are we hunting?" Ren asked.

"Whatever is in the area." Six answered.

"Are we doing it now?" Nora asked.

"No." He answered.

"So, are you going to teach us too?" Ruby asked quietly.

"It depends on if you are willing to learn. If not, then no." He answered curtly.

"Why not?" Weiss asked.

"It is wasting my time." He said. It went silent after that. Nora and Ren made small talk with Six, and he answered some things but was silent about others, but otherwise they all just listened to the sound of the wild. Glynda and RWBY noticed that he was unnaturally quiet, so much that they sometimes forgot he was behind them. It was disturbing to say the least. Someone that big and quiet was an odd combination that didn't fit well with one another. Everyone else noticed how Nora and Ren seemed content with being close to him, the look of admiration they both held was something nobody had truly seen in their eyes before. Weiss and Blake were the furthest away from him, the latter due to fear while the former was due to distrust.

The minutes droned on and eventually turned into hours of walking, everybody's feet starting to ache a bit. Each time they looked at the map and realized they weren't close, he just told them to continue until they were at a decent distance. He ignored them even as they complained and the sky started to darken a bit. If they couldn't handle this then it wasn't his problem. Nora and Ren seemed fine though; while they were tired, they could keep going for another hour or two.

"Um... sir?" Ruby raised her hand.

"..." He just looked at her and nodded, indicating his attention was caught.

"Can we stop for a bit?" She asked. He looked around and heard the sound of water rushing before instructing them to follow him, to which they did. All of them walked for several minutes before coming to the edge of a river. He found a small clearing and sat down, telling the students to get some stick to start a fire. JNPR listened to him while RWBY listened after some coaxing from the sister team, which left only him and Glynda.

"My feet..." She sighed uncomfortably and sat down on a nearby rock.

"I would advise not to bring such shoes in an environment like this in the future." He said.

"I don't any comments from you." She snapped.

"Then do not blame me if your feet have complications later on in life." He said. A sigh escaped her lips as she took her shoes off and messaged her feet. There was a sound to their left and she looked to see the students return with wood. The sky was almost pitch black at this point and the fire was started after a few minutes, making him take off his cloak and spread it out. He ignored Glynda's eyes widen considerably but looked when he saw Weiss and Blake back up in surprise, the later showed more fear than anything.

The three didn't expect him to be a walking death machine. His armor had scrapes from the years but it was clear he kept it maintained the best he could. All he did was stare at the two Huntresses-in-training before sitting down. Just as before, Ren and Nora sat down next to him as he took inventory and crafted some items. Everyone else just watched him curiously.

"Hey, Six." Nora called out.

"Yes?" He didn't turn away from his belongings.

"Did you see us perform at the festival?" She asked.

"I did." He answered.

"What did you think?" Ren asked.

"I was not impressed by your performance." He answered instantly.

"W-What?" They blinked.

"I do not believe I misspoke. I said I was not impressed by your performance." He said.

"What didn't you like about it?" Ren asked.

"Numerous topics. You two are not entirely at fault, it also falls on your teammates." Six said calmly, making the other two flinch.

"W-What did we do?" Jaune rubbed the back of his neck.

"You wasted time. Although I did not hear the audio, you wasted time during one of the rounds. Keep in mind Mr. Arc, it falls on you to lead your team with efficiency. Not every enemy will give you time to argue and settle your differences." Six explained.

"We just had a disagreement, that's all." Pyrrha chimed in.

"That is not acceptable. As I have stated before, not every enemy will give you the time nor care if you have an argument. Such actions can be the difference between life and death. I would advise you improve upon that." He said.

"Got it." Jaune said quietly. It went quiet for a while before Six spoke up again.

"I also wish to know why you aimed to kill that girl." He said to Ren and Nora.

"We uh... we didn't-" Nora started to lie, but instantly fell quiet and looked down when he stared at her. Ren did the same and neither were willing to talk before flinching when his hands gripped their heads. The tension in the air was thick enough that everyone couldn't do anything but stare. It wasn't that they didn't want to, but they knew interrupting something like this wouldn't end up well for them.

The two looked genuinely scared of Six and it showed that he wasn't one to be trifled with if he could put the fear of the gods within these two.

"Explain... now." He ordered.

"We... didn't like what Belladonna had to say about you." Nora started.

"It's just... we got really angry that our judgment was clouded a bit." Ren added.

"..." He just kept his hands on their heads and prompted them to continue.

"We don't like people talking bad about you. It's wrong despite the things you do for people." Nora said quietly.

"Especially when they don't know you like we do." Ren said.

"There is nothing wrong with defending someone of value, but there is a time and a place for everything. You almost put yourselves in an unfortunate situation all over a negative opinion over me. Did the thought of expulsion and imprisonment cross your minds?" Six asked.

"No." They shook their heads.

"That is something that should have crossed your minds before you did such an action. You are foolish to think otherwise" He scolded. Everyone else just watched in silence as he continued to scold them harshly. A few times they had to wince at some of the words he said, and they even felt pity for the two.

Glynda was about to chime in but then she realized this is the wake up call her students needed at the moment. They hadn't been listening to her or anybody else, so who's to say the one they looked up to wouldn't have a different effect? She swore if they had animal ears, they would be flat against their skulls at the moment. Though... the way Six tore into them was something she didn't want to be the receiving end of. It held no tone for argument, each point struck close to home, and it was like he was talking to adults rather than teenagers. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice him take his hands off their heads.

"I expect improvement. Do you two understand?" He asked.

"Yes, sir." They nodded quietly.

"That is all then." He said calmly. His tone never rose past its normal one, but the two of them knew he wasn't satisfied with them. He didn't care if their feelings were hurt, he wouldn't have the two of them throw their lives away over a negative opinion of him. Numerous people around the world didn't see him in the same light, and not an ounce of care was given. It was better to snuff out this attitude before it took control over them. He wanted them to be confident, not cocky.

It wasn't before long that the party was thrown into silence. No one wanted to say anything and the atmosphere was tense. They watched him fish around in his bag before taking out the grenades, setting them around the perimeter before returning to his spot. At first, he was going to give them the knives and pendants, but they had proven otherwise. If they shaped up the next time they encountered, then he'd give the items to them.

An hour had passed by and JNPR and Glynda fell asleep in their spots, leaving only RWBY awake. They didn't really know what to say to him; Ruby and Yang wanted to know more about him but remembered he wasn't one to talk about himself. Weiss, from what she observed, saw that he was one who seemed more strict than some of the military personal in Atlas. Blake still saw him as a monster, except this time she knew he was built like a tank. The more she observed him, the more she saw that he was one to use everything at his disposal.

"Hey, sir?" Ruby asked nervously.

"..." He just looked at her.

"We never really knew what the White Fang did down in those tunnels. Can you at least tell us what they did?" She asked. To be honest, she was more or less asking for her teammate since she knew the faunus wasn't going to.

"They were planning to breach Vale, which in turn would cause a hole that would be open to Grimm. Which would result in the death of countless civilians." He answered.

"Oh..." She muttered.

"You are still disturbed about the sight." He commented.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Don't dwell on it." He said, taking the DMR apart and cleaning it.

"What, why not?" Yang asked.

"It will only haunt you and cloud your judgment. It is a sight you must learn to get used to if you are to remain in this profession." He said.

"That's kind of a disturbing answer." Weiss said.

"In what way?" He asked.

"It's like you experienced it before and aren't even fazed by death anymore." She said.

"Death is a natural occurrence in everything. If you are going to be Huntresses, then you must learn to come into terms with seeing death. Whether it be civilians, your allies, or your enemies." He said as he stared at the fire. His mind went back to seeing a burning body at one point before returning to the present.

"They were people too you know." Blake spoke up for the first time in a while.

"I am aware, but they are individuals who have chosen that path and are content with causing destruction." He said.

"So that gives you the right to play judge, jury, and executioner?" She asked.

"..." He just stared at her and observed her, noticing that her bow twitched. His eyes narrowed at that, the last time he checked, bows don't twitch on their own.

"You never answered my question." She said.

"No. Yet, nobody seems to do anything about them. Had they breached the wall, then what?" He asked.

"... People would have stopped them." She said.

"What if they hadn't? What if nobody had stopped them and they escaped?" He asked.

"People would have stopped them, like I said before." She said.

"You are dancing around the question, Ms. Belladonna. The answer is that countless civilians would have perished and they would have done the same action to more innocent people." He said.

"Not all of them would, okay?! Some of them aren't in their right state of mind." She said.

"You're saying they're misguided?" He questioned.

"Exactly." She breathed.

"They are not. A majority of them know exactly what they are doing and have no issue killing innocents or people that don't agree with them. Take the ones on the train for example, are they misguided for placing bombs on it with the intention of ramming it into the city?" He asked.

"No..." She clenched her fists.

"What about the ones who have not only bombed countless locations, but also killed innocents trying to escape?" He asked.

"..." She just stared at him.

"What about the ones in the frontier who have caused settlements to fall? Are they misguided also?" He asked once again.

"Shut up..." She whispered.

"No. They are not. You are trying to justify them as misguided individuals, yet seem to ignore the countless crimes they have committed over the years. At first, they had peaceful protests, which is fine in certain locations. Killing innocent civilians is not. It has labeled them as terrorists because that is what they are now." He continued.

"Maybe we're tired of being pushed around? Did that ever occur to you?" She asked quietly.

"There are other ways to counter racism. Becoming a terrorist organization is not the answer, no matter how much you try to justify it." He answered.

"I think we're all tired. So let's try to get some sleep, okay?" Ruby tried to say, only to fall silent when neither one was listening.

"You... you're a monster." Blake whispered.

"You are a faunus hiding in disguise." He said, making her freeze instantly. The other three did as well.

"How did... how-" She started.

"The last time I checked, a bow does not twitch on its own. There is no wind at the moment to move it, and your head wasn't moving either. There is also the fact that your last name is Belladonna." He started.

"What does that have to anything?" She asked. He could hear her heart begin to quicken and her eyes start to widen a bit.

"Ghira Belladonna is the former leader of the White Fang, a once peaceful protest group that turned to terrorism in recent years." He answered.

"W-What?" She blinked fearfully.

"The moment Nora said your name was Belladonna, I assumed it was your last name. There is also the fact that you're quick to defend the White Fang. Either you group them with all faunus or you have been in the White Fang." Six explained. He wasn't stupid, far from it. There weren't too many people named Belladonna that he knew of and he had kept an eye on the one who created the White Fang. It wasn't until the man stepped down from leader to become chief of Menagerie did Six not bother too much with him, but still kept an eye on. There was also the fact that as soon as he stepped down, the protests started to get violent.

People in the frontier proved to be a rather reliable source of information given the right circumstances.

He just stared at her wide, amber eyes. His own scanning her carefully and listening to her heartbeat elevate as well as her breathing. If she didn't kill any innocents, then she had nothing to worry about, if she did... there would be a problem.

"Okay! Bed time, we're getting up bright and early!" Ruby said, trying to break the tension.

"Keep in mind, Ms. Belladonna... not everyone is misguided. I would advise you to take this into consideration." He said.

"If I don't?" Blake asked.

"Your death will not be on my conscious. It is simply your own fault for not heeding the warnings of others." He answered. Everything went quiet after that as he leaned against a tree and stared into space. He could hear their murmurs and whispers, but chose to ignore them. If they didn't learn to grow up, then their mistakes could cost them their lives. Which was fine, it wasn't like he didn't warn them. They were not his priority, nor would they ever be with that attitude.

In reality, he was taking a guess that the Belladonna girl was the child of the former White Fang leader. His hunch was right when she seemed to be fearful when he started talking about the man. He'd have to keep an eye on her...

* * *

He woke up earlier than the others and went to the river, filling up his canteen and swishing the cold water around. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon and he went up to each one, nudging them awake with his foot. All the girls in RWBY just slapped his foot away, making him stare at them blankly before dumping the freezing water all over them. All of them shrieked at the cold sensation while he just stared at them.

"Get up. We're leaving." He said and collected his things for the next few minutes before walking to the bounty.

"Hey, wait up! At least let us get our bearings straight and dry off." Weiss said.

"I don't care. You are not carrying anything of value, therefore you should not have any trouble waking up and getting ready." He said flatly.

"The nerve of-" She fumed in place before jogging up to the others to catch up. So far, she did not like the person in front of her. He was completely apathetic to everyone, barely knows how to filter his words, and didn't holds any respect to anyone. She hated how long they had to walk for a bounty, and she hated it more that she had no choice but to listen to him.

The ten of them just walked for a couple of hours, barely taking any breaks to reach their destination faster. Eventually, they all came to the edge of a cliff and saw a cave across the clearing. He just took his hood of and instructed them to go down there and deal with the Grimm while he observed. Each one of them were about to protest but immediately shut their mouths when he stared at them silently. He watched as they went off to the side and followed a trail down that eventually led them to a clearing.

"Ren and Nora... what is their status?" He asked as he pulled out the Binary Rifle. It configured in his hands with a metallic noise and he saw it glow a bit.

"They are troublesome to say the least." Glynda coughed in her hand. She didn't know why, but the rifle he had in his hand seemed unnatural. It seemed alien in a sense and something about it made her feel like she was staring at a relic.

"... Elaborate." He said.

"They don't listen to anybody, they pick fights with people who don't agree with them, and they show little regard for the rules set in place." She said.

"I presume the second topic has to do with me." He guessed.

"For the most part, yes. Someone who hasn't been in their life for years, yet they look at you like some positive influence." She murmured.

"... What else?" He ignored her comment.

"I didn't take you one to care for them." She commented.

"Do not mistake my absence in their life as a lack of care." He said instantly. Almost on instinct, she backed up and stared at him. She forgot this wasn't Ozpin, this wasn't one who she could talk to any kind of way. The man before her was literally a living legend and she needed to watch herself around him. Possibly the smallest word could set him off and end her life in an instant.

"My apologies." She said.

"..." He didn't say anything for a few minutes as he continued to observe the students. It seemed they were doing good against the Grimm, they had flushed it out of the cave to give themselves more leg room. RWBY displayed decent teamwork overall while JNPR did show signs of improvement. They had managed to get rid of the Ursa, but hadn't anticipated it also being a den of Creeps. All he did was watch them deal with the Grimm, but once again barely regard their surroundings.

"That girl... the one with blue hair-" Glynda started. She tried to shed some light on the situation without giving herself away that she knew about the murder.

"She is none of your concern." He interrupted.

"... Is she in a safe environment?" She asked.

"I will not say it again, Ms. Goodwitch. She is of no concern to you, so I would advise you to drop it." He said. This time, he turned to look at her and stare, making her grip her riding crop tightly. Something about the way he observed her felt wrong; it was like he was carefully dissecting her and studying every aspect. Beneath that calm collected tone, was a hidden threat that she instantly caught onto. The gravity around them seemed to increase and she felt like she was suffocating now. The longer he stared at her, the more she felt like the weight of the ocean was bearing down on her.

"I'm sorry." She apologized.

"Your superior is starting to become a problem." He changed the subject. Almost instantly, the weight disappeared and she let out a breath of relief.

"I prefer not to speak about him." She sighed.

"Extortion, funds diminishing over time due to a third party, imprisonment, and the lack of assistance. All which generates negative emotions and may eventually lead to a downfall of a settlement." He said.

"..." She didn't say anything and he took this as a sign to continue.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" He asked.

"I knew you would." She said quickly. This was _The Wolf _she was talking to; the legend of the wild and individual that nobody knew anything about. He was the one who gave the people of the frontier hope and kept an eye on them. If he didn't hear it from one individual, then he'd hear it from another.

"All to get my attention." He said.

"I'm sure he has it." She said.

"Not the one he sought after. Do something about him or I will." He said. That suffocating feeling came back, only it was greater this time. Just as soon as it came, it disappeared and she almost wanted to brush it off.

"I'm trying, okay? Ozpin's too obsessed with you and it's gotten worse over the years. It's hard to deter the man from his focus on you." She said.

"That is not my problem." He said.

"Then what is?" She asked.

"..." He didn't say anything and just continued to observe the students. His attention snapped to one of them screaming before a Creep lunged towards Jaune, making him sigh quietly. Six pulled the trigger on the Binary Rifle and the shot connected with the Grimm. It jerked to the side and flailed around painfully as it started to disintegrate and the ashes scattered in the wind. He saw them all look in his direction with wide eyes while he just lowered his weapon and looked at them.

They all walked towards him for the next several minutes and climbed up the trail to the edge of the cliff. He just waited patiently, keeping an eye on the entrance of the cave. Even when they made it up and stood near him, he kept his eyes on the entrance. None of them said anything for a while.

"We made it up here, you know." Weiss said.

"I'm aware." He said flatly.

"Then why are we still here?" She asked.

"You all missed a Grimm." He answered.

"How? We flushed them out, got rid of the ones that followed us, and were done." Yang said.

"Did the age of them cross your minds?" He asked.

"They all seemed pretty young to me." She said.

"Then you did not go deep enough." He said.

"Why?" Ruby asked. He didn't say anything, but just pointed towards the entrance, making all of them look to see a larger Creep exit out. It looked around the area and started to slowly walk away.

"Your judgment calls are key if you are to be successful on this profession. Situational awareness is a necessary skill to have. Had you all paid more attention, you would know Creeps often use the younger ones as cannon fodder. The older ones observe their victims from within the darkest areas of the cave. They know how to pick out the weakest link of the group then strike when they least expect it." He explained and pulled the trigger once he was lined up. It jerked to the side and flailed around wildly as its body started to break down, rendering it into nothing but ash that eventually scattered.

"Oh." She said quietly.

"Had this been a situation where civilians were involved, they would have perished because you did not check the area thoroughly." He said.

"So... did we fail?" She asked.

"You did. Your job as Huntsmen and Huntresses are to safeguard the people you're sworn to protect. Next time, perform a thorough sweep before you depart." He said as he began to walk back towards the settlement. None of them said anything as they walked for a while. On the way, he gave them scenarios and expected an answer, to which JNPR got some right while RWBY got nearly all of them wrong. He scolded them for being too merciful towards their enemies and claimed that not every one would show the same compassion. Him and Glynda butted heads; she believed that showing enough compassion could turn the tide of a conflict while he just disagreed with her.

She didn't want her students to be killers; but he debunked that instantly, claiming that nearly every Huntsman or Huntress was a killer in some way shape or form. After a while of arguing, he went silent, seeing how he was wasting his time with the woman. From that point on, he just stayed silent and continued to walk towards the settlement without even trying to start up a conversation. Nora and Ren stood walked next to him while the others just stayed a good distance away.

Everyone else was completely wary of him. There was something off about him entirely, beneath that suit of armor held something alien.

"Hurry up." He said flatly, throwing them out of their thoughts. Each one caught up quickly and just made their way back, only stopping for a few minutes before continuing once more. This time though, he didn't bother stopping when they asked him for a break. He needed to get back before taking Ren and Nora out to hunt something, plus he needed to speak to them in private.

* * *

When they got back to the settlement, they had turned in their bounties. He didn't collect the reward, but he merely brought Nora and Ren back outside, handing them the rifles and telling them to follow him after depositing their weapons. At the very least, he told Glynda he'd speak with them in private, to which she reluctantly agreed with.

"So, what are we hunting?" Nora asked.

"You two are hunting deer." He answered, following behind them as they walked back out of the settlement.

"Which way are we headed?" Ren asked.

"In the direction of the deer." Six said calmly.

"I think I saw some tracks in this direction." Nora said carefully. He nodded and followed them quietly, listening to the leaves above them sway in the wind. The air was getting a little cooler now and it was almost time for him to leave the kingdom.

"Hey, Six... why are we doing this without the others?" Ren asked.

"I wanted to speak to you two alone about your behavior and it would be beneficial to the both of you." He answered.

"Oh..." Ren whispered.

"You two are going to tell me everything, and do not bother to try and lie." He said.

"Yes, sir." They nodded carefully. He listened to them as they told him what had happened in the last year. From how they had been doing, to their behavior. Needless to say, he wasn't very impressed by the way they were acting. To him, they were merely using him as a spring board to feel the need to do whatever they wanted. That wasn't the way they should be acting. He wanted them to act like responsible adults. Arrogance was what they were displaying now and he sought to correct that behavior before it got too bad.

They also told him how Nora bit Jaune for accidentally touching the cloaks he made them years ago. His lips pressed into a fine line when he heard that and he couldn't do anything but just stare at her, shaking his head. He didn't know why they were so defensive over two dirty pieces of cloth. Though... he supposed it was the only thing that had reminded them of him, in hopes that he would return one day. Still, that didn't excuse her for harming her team leader over a piece of clothing.

This hunt would also serve as punishment and a much needed discussion. He knew they were tired from all that walking, but he didn't care. If they felt like they were on the top of the world, then he would be the one to bring them back down to the ground. It was better to nip that behavior now than later.

"Come over here." He said as he knelt down to find some tracks in the mud. They were near the shore and started to head further towards the wild. Both of them knelt near him and observed the tracks before looking at one another.

"These look like deer tracks, what do you think?" She turned towards Ren.

"No, these resemble hog tracks. The toes are spread out more due to them impacting the ground so heavily." He shook his head.

"Good." Six nodded his head and watched them loosely follow the deer tracks. He listened to them tell how to tell the difference between the two. Apparently, they had learned from one of their professors and they hunted with people before. The three of them just walked through the wilderness, feeling a sense of peace as they listened to nature. There was a small opening connected to a small creek, and a fallen tree acting as a makeshift bridge.

A snap erupted from the brush and a buck shot out, landing in the water before looking at them then darting off.

"Found it!" Nora shouted excitedly and took off after it. Ren sighed and started to follow her.

"Slow down. You're hunting it, not chasing it." " Six said from the back.

"Sorry." She laughed sheepishly. He just shook his head and followed them quietly, his cloak blowing every so often in the wind. Several minutes went by and they found the deer again, this time it was feeding on some of the shrubbery. Before he could tell them to wait, they had aimed their weapons and fired. Nora's shot missed, but Ren managed to hit in in the leg. His irritation grew a bit and he snatched the rifles out of their hands when the deer ran away quickly.

"What are you doing? Now it's guard is up and it will be harder to track." He said. Despite his calm tone, they could tell he was irritated with their irrational decision.

"Sorry." They said as they shrank in on themselves. To be honest, they didn't know why they were making these mistakes, maybe it was the excitement of being next to him. Another reason was the pride they hoped to hear in his voice if they got the kill. They didn't think at the moment and they just reacted, something they thought they had gotten rid of.

"Stop apologizing and start improving upon your mistakes. There will come a time when a simple sorry will not fix things." He scolded. They flinched at his words and went to grab the rifles, only for him to jerk them back and nod his head in the direction of the deer. Both of them quietly followed his silent order and followed the blood trail that the deer left behind. It was spread out in a wild manner and several times they lost track, but barely managed to get back on it. All he did was observe them from the back and think about some things.

He was going to give them the knives and pendant, but they had proved undeserving of them. Should they encounter again and improve upon their behavior then he would consider it, but at the moment they didn't. He would not reward an individual for regression, especially when he knows they can do better. At first, he was going to let the others come, but they didn't seem willing to learn and he saw it as a waste of time. He needed to get back to the settlement before he departed. It would be a goodbye to them and to Maaya and Myne.

"Hey Six... can we have the rifles back?" Ren asked.

"You lost your privilege of them when you recklessly fired and didn't think." He said.

"We need a chance to get them back." Nora said as she hopped up on a rock and jumped on another one.

"You had a chance." He said.

"We need another." Ren said.

"Then find that deer and prove that you deserve it." Six said. They nodded and followed the trail for a bit, taking in each detail carefully. For the next several minutes, he just followed them until they came across a little ridge edge and saw the deer. Both of them knelt near the edge and he slung the rifles around and handed them to each of them. They all saw it stand on shaky legs, presumably from the loss of blood and he watched them aim in. He guided them through the steps of taking it down, claiming to think of it as merely a target.

Two loud shots rang out and the deer fell instantly, bleeding out and perishing shortly after. He watched them cheer and look at him with excitement, making him nod and tell them to go get it. They slid down and rushed up to the deer while he did the same and walked towards the body, brushing his hand against its fur before nodding. Despite him approving of their kill, he still ordered them to carry it back, ignoring their shocked faces. He also ordered for them to not use an ounce of aura to help them, claiming it was part of their punishment for acting out.

While both of them were physically strong, they always used a bit of aura to enhance their abilities, so not using an ounce of it proved to be a challenge. Plus, carrying around dead weight proved to be more difficult than what some would expect.

"Hey, Six, are you going to show us how to skin it?" Nora grunted as she helped carry the body.

"Not this time. We will take it to the butcher in the settlement." He answered.

"Do you know how to skin a deer?" Ren asked.

"I do." He nodded. He's done it countless times, not mentioning how he skinned Tyrian's corpse and strung it up like a piece of macabre art.

"Can we get help for the rest of the way?" She asked.

"No. This serves as your final punishment for acting like arrogant children rather than confident adults. Your professor has told me of you misdeeds and I am here to divert you off that path. You are to show respect towards your teammates and superiors. When you graduate, you may have more freedom. Now continue." He ordered, and began to speed up. Both of them jumped in surprise and just dragged the deer across the ground for the next hour and a half. Their muscles started to scream in pain a bit and before they knew it, they were at the entrance of the settlement.

He turned his head to see them drop the deer before sighing a bit and going over to its body, picking it up effortlessly and throwing it over his shoulders. He heard them follow him closely while looking at the townsfolk wave at him politely. Either he ignored all the attention, or he just didn't care, but he continued to walk towards the butcher's shop.

The two of them followed him as he went around back and kicked the door three times, prompting the large metal door to open upwards. Inside revealed a large man with a bloody cleaver and an apron on. His tusks protruded out from his bottom lip and he snorted when he saw the deer.

"I see you caught another one, looks like a good bag too. Well, come on in and I'll get started." The man said, waving his hand for them to follow him. He nodded and followed the man inside while Nora covered her mouth and gagged a bit at the smell.

"Seems you got two little pups following you around. Looks older than the one at the guild." The man commented.

"..." Six ignored the comment and threw the deer body on the hook and pushed it towards the others.

"Other pup at the guild?" Nora asked, tilting her head.

"You're right about that little miss. Little gal with with blue hair and gold eyes. Speaking of which, how is she?" The man asked as he took a knife and started to skin the new kill.

"She's fine." Six answered calmly.

"Well I'm glad, and before you get all upset and protective, I'm not gonna do anything. Little gal might be more scared of me than anything seeing how I'm the butcher." The man said as he pointed the knife at Six for a second then went back to skinning.

"Why? You don't seem all that scary." Ren said.

"You must be from outside. A lot of kids are scared of me, seeing how I'm always covered in blood. Don't mind it too much anymore, I keep the meet around here good for eating. In fact, big wolf over here always comes by for when he need supplies." The butcher said.

"Do you have anything available?" Nora asked.

"For the most part, yeah. The main reason is my semblance allows me to preserve things longer. Food that should spoil within a few days to a week doesn't spoil for a few weeks to a month. Not really useful for fighting Grimm, but so long as people have meat to eat then that's good enough for me. Not to mention big guy over here brings in some of the freshest kills, barely any damage." He said.

"..." Six just nodded as he toyed with his TACPAD.

"Ah, I take it you two killed it instead of him?" The butcher asked.

"Yeah." Ren nodded.

"I can tell. You struck one of the worst areas. Some areas might be a bit spoiled from where you hit it, but I'll get by. Managed to get by with much worse, so it's all good." The butcher said.

"What would you rate us?" Nora asked.

"Six out of ten. Not quite bad, but not good either. I'd say you need improvement. You shot it in it's lower intestine, some of the waste seemed to have seeped into it. Next time, aim for the heart-lung area with the deer standing broad side. It'll be your best bet." He advised.

"Got it." They nodded.

"Well, alright. Get out of here, ya lot. I got some cutting and cleaning to do. I'll have your supplies ready by either tomorrow or the next day." He nodded towards Six.

"Tomorrow would be preferable." Six nodded.

"I'll see what I can do." The butcher nodded back and went to work. Six just guided the other two out of the shop and back in the street, going towards the market area to buy some supplies. Ren and Nora just walked next to him and simply chatted while he just listened. Although it didn't seem like it, he could tell their attitude was shaping up a little. Perhaps the next time they meet it would.

The three of them walked along the sidewalk while he just let his thoughts run a bit. It was nice for once, to see Nora smiling a bit despite her recent scolding and Ren simply have his calm look. Just their mere presence was enough to bring a sense of peace within him. He simply stood next to them as they found a nearby bench and sat down, sighing in relief while rubbing their feet.

"Hey, Six." Nora called out.

"..." He nodded in her direction.

"Who's the girl that the butcher was talking about?" She asked.

"... Her name is-" He stopped when Maaya's voice rang out from down the sidewalk.

"Myne!" Maaya screamed as she chased the little girl.

"Myne." He finished while looking at the little girl that stopped in front of him, hugging his leg and looking up at him. She gave an excited squeak when he knelt down and stared at her.

"Why are you excited?" He asked.

"I saw you." She beamed.

"I see..." He nodded.

"So is this..." Nora trailed off.

"This is Myne." He finished. He watched as her eyes sparkled brightly and she held her hands up to her mouth, gushing at the sight. As she started to quickly advance, she suddenly stopped when Myne's smile dropped and she locked up tensely while staring at her. Nora watched as the little girl's breathing started to quicken and a flash of guilt spread across her face.

"I didn't mean to-" Nora started.

"You didn't do anything wrong." He said as he placed his hands on Myne's shoulders. His left hand gently guided her face towards his helmet and he stared at her.

"S-Six?" Myne sniffled.

"It is alright. Nora is like you. Her intention was not to bring you harm. Despite her overactive personality, she is not dangerous to you." He explained carefully. She blinked back some tears and rubbed them away before feeling Maaya's hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, sweetheart. He's not here anymore." Maaya said as she wiped Myne's tears away and brought her into a hug. He just stood up and stared at Nora, making her cast her head down. All he did was bring her to the side and explain to her that she shouldn't rush up to people in such a manner. She could tell he wasn't mad since he didn't have that irritated undertone, but it was clear that she needed to improve upon that area. Ren just cautiously greeted Myne after bending down to her level and sticking his hand out, just as Six had years ago.

"I'm Lie Ren, but everyone calls me Ren." He greeted.

"It's okay." Maaya said, gently nudging Myne towards him.

"Myne." She shook his hand before shuffling back towards Maaya.

"Pleasure to meet you." He said before standing up and looking to see Nora still talking with Six.

"How was the bounty with Six?" Maaya asked as she picked Myne up.

"Oh uh... it was good. He wasn't too happy with our performance recently." He said.

"I take it that it's personal?" She asked.

"A little. I mean, he's definitely set us straight before we got too out of hand." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh. Gotcha." She nodded.

"Anyways, I'm sorry Nora acted like that. She was always the more excitable one out of the two of us." He sighed.

"It's fine. I've had to deal with more excitable people at the guild." She waved.

"I bet... Maaya, was it?" He asked.

"Yes. You're Ren, one of the only two people Six actually talks about." She said.

"H-He talks about us?" He blinked.

"He does." She smiled and nodded.

"What does he say?" He asked.

"He mainly wants to know if you've stopped by. Despite him not showing it, I know he cares about you two." She said.

"I figured he did... at least a little bit." He said quietly. It was silent for a while and the three of them just enjoyed the silence before she broke it again.

"I take it that he scolded you two?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. We've been... getting out of hand recently. It's Nora's fault as much as it is mine." He sighed.

"Well, it's a good thing he's here to help you improve." She said.

"Yeah. It's just... half of the problems is because we don't really like people talking about him. I know it's selfish to call him ours, but some of the things people say about him is just..." He trailed off.

"Disrespectful and unneeded?" She finished.

"Yeah." He sighed.

"I'd say there's nothing wrong with defending him to a certain extent. If it's of any reassurance, he doesn't really care what other people think of him. He just likes to be left alone to do his job and leave. Nobody stops him and we value him for doing that." She said.

"Does he do anything else?" He asked.

"Countless other things. Going from helping out, to patrolling, or just doing bounties without a rewards. It's pretty much things that everyone knows about him just from him being here. You two, and Myne, are the ones he cares about despite not showing it. Although, if I would put my input, don't recklessly jump into certain situations. It's always good to think before you do something." She said.

"Got it. I'll take that advice." He nodded.

The three of them looked to see Six and Nora approaching, the latter looked regretful but understanding. She went up to Maaya and Myne before apologizing to Myne and extending her hand out. Nora waited for Myne to grip her hand and shake it before saying another apology and greeted her properly.

Six just watched them say their goodbyes before departing towards the inn for the night, leaving him with Maaya and Myne. He looked to them when Myne made a grabbing motion and he sighed quietly before taking her into his arms and carrying her. She visibly relaxed and set her head down against his shoulder while he carried her to the apartment. He stopped and looked back to see Nora and Ren enter the inn before turning back and continuing to walk.

"Did you give them the knives and pendants?" Maaya asked.

"No." He answered.

"Why not?" She asked.

"They do not deserve it now. Despite them improving on fighting Grimm and situational awareness, they have proven to be quite childish." He answered.

"I would say something, but I understand your perspective. They'll most likely improve the next time they visit." She said.

"I know they will." He nodded. The three of them just walked around the settlement for a while, until the countless stars appeared in the sky and the moon gleamed brightly. It was nice for once, the sense of peace that was brought upon him and he was thankful for the downtime before he left for Mistral. Deep down he knew though... he knew that when he got back to the UNSC, he'd possibly never see them again.

It was always good to enjoy the little moments the universe gifted upon him

* * *

**I think this is my longest chapter for this story. over 14k worth of content, needless to say I'm a bit proud. I'm getting ahead of myself though, thanks to all for waiting patiently. I'm answering reviews this story, so here we go.**

**Josephi: Yep, here's another occurrence like that.**

**free man writer: Spectacular work to you as well, mate.**

**MysticMauler: I think that's how I feel about every chapter before I upload it. Usually after the upload is said and done, I get over it, it's before I do is when the anxiety kicks in.**

**BigRig2.0: Here it is.**

**barrera2009: Indeed. I think I might do a chapter every three weeks to a month, two at the latest.**

**Minxiboo: I'm glad you've stuck with me so far. To be honest, I do feel pressured every time I finish writing and get to the author's note. I think it's that deep sense of self-doubt that eats at me. If that kind of pressure gets to me too much, I just might go on hiatus to give myself a break, but otherwise I need to learn to face it head on. Thanks for reviewing.**

**Johniee-Five: Hope you enjoy this.**

**PilotWithThreeStrikes: Yeah, I wanted to do something slow for a bit before I get back into the action. Action scenes aren't really my specialty, but I do enjoy carefully crafting the more calm scenes. I've learned that constant action isn't always good, so at least I'm improving.**

**Janny092: Indeed.**

**UndeadLord22: Yeah, I don't mind getting chapters out, but I do like to take my time.**

**JCarrasco: Thank you.**

**VGBlackwing: That was a good review. Yeah, I think every two or three chapters, I might take a break from reviewing so much.**

**Sm0keyPanda: Here it is.**

**Guest: I mean... I did consider making a little series if I finish this on a good note. I do enjoy writing this story so who's to say I won't make a little series with the characters in this. I don't want to say a drabble series, but explore on some of the lost elements that aren't brushed up on this.**

**whatsupman: Possibly.**

**Malgrath: I enjoy writing Six keep blue-balling him, it really brings about a different element in the story.**

**darkromdemon: That he is.**

**Guest: Yeah, taking it slow is necessary sometimes. I've learned that from the other stories I've written. I don't know what it is about this one, but I just feel the need to go above and beyond with it.**

**spartan-140: I'm glad too, stay safe as well.**

**Dovahwolf13: I can't wait to write that.**

**Guest: I wanted to dive into his more secretive life as an ONI operative, just testing the waters a bit.**

**ZILLAFAN: I know.**

**Lord Demolitions: That'll come later on in the story. I don't know how long I'll make this, it certainly won't end anytime soon, but it also won't be dragged out for a hundred chapters.**

**Greyjedi449t: Here it is.**

**Czechus: Sorry about that, mate. I didn't want to rush this chapter, but somehow I still feel like I screwed the pooch a bit. I try to dive into the world a bit more with the different perspectives. Anyways, stay safe out there.**

**Masso 2010: indeed.**

**Gamerman22: That would be interesting.**

**PhoenixGuy: I would give it either a 8/10 or 9/10 in my honest opinion.**

**The Prussian Gamer: Possibly a lot.**

**Ozilla: Had to make at least one or two of them reasonable in the inner circle.**

**Blaze1992: No.**

**Guest: Probably not.**

**Inbound2: I don't think he'd really use a scroll seeing how he knows it can be tracked. He'd probably find a more secure way of keeping in contact with them if he had the chance.**

**Lord of Moons: Yeah, I wanted to at least build upon his character a bit. I mean, he's feeling more human, but not to the point where he just actively blurts out information. The way I wanted him was, a Spartan through and through, but learning what it means to be human again throughout his journey on Remnant.**

**Dead344156: Thank you.**

**Guest: Nothing's happening at the moment.**

**ADAMU KADOMON: Yeah, took me by surprise. A good analysis on the chapter as always, I enjoy reading the reviews at times. I don't really have much to say other than that, sorry.**

**Gunblades19: Spot on.**

**Destoyer78901: Thank you.**

**butsirent123: Glad you enjoy it.**

**Guest: Thank you.**

**Valerious Lake: I'll come up with something.**

**Guest: I won't say a fight, seeing how she knows she'd either end up dead or losing, but more a battle of perspectives. To be honest, I probably should have waited for a later chapter, but I at least wanted them to interact once in the story.**

**Eric Mead1: I won't say it's the best since there are probably better ones, but it's decent.**

**InfernoKnightmare: It's all good. Appreciate the review regardless.**

**SomewhatEvil: Indeed.**

**Jusanotherhalofan: ****Shigeru Miyamoto I believe. A very good quote in a lot of cases.**

**Spartan-Frog: Sorry, can't help it. I guess it's one of my glaring problems that my therapist is trying to help me overcome. I think The Executioner is good to play against, although, I'm sort of glad they reworked his cage ability. It got a bit annoying every time he put me in the cage and someone else got me out, only for him to beeline it straight towards me.**

**rvbrwby: I'll probably do a chapter every three weeks to a month, possibly a month and a half to two months at latest. My Gears of War fic is on hiatus at the moment since I kind of want to think about how I'm going to handle the future chapters.**

**umaranuar14: Thank you.**

**scottsusa1: Thank you, laters.**

**jetjedi: Thank you.**

**yangn33: Indeed she does.**

**Fredric: I'll try to keep the quality at its current state.**

**Vvb: True.**

**Yoshiki-909: From what I've heard and read, it gives a few hours at best, but I could be wrong.**

**TheLastSterling: You bring up a very good point.**

**Thomas Knightshade: A very good perspective on your view of Six. Also, I'll check out your story one of these days. **

**IncensedBus87: I was going to have him give the knives to them, but I wanted to do a twist on it. He expects them to act like adults and wasn't pleased to hear them act otherwise. My chapter isn't good enough thing probably stems from some deep rooted problems of mine to be honest.**

**Guest: Well, I'm glad I can be at least a highlight in this year for you.**

**Ayane Yukishiro: He still has the Breacher/Collar and a trauma kit for his utility. Though I might have him change his chest armor further on in the story.**

**Guest: Thank you.**

**GunnerRabbit: That might happen further on in the story, spreading the ashes I mean.**

**singpu: I'll try.**

**IDrinkDiesel: Thank you.**

**Chika Hayakawa: I'll work on Ozpin and Ironwood interacting with Six in the future, it's something I kind of want to handle in a careful manner in order not to disappoint people.**

**Guest: They would.**

**Guest: I mean, I am and I've already seen the video.**

**Koop troop: It's good to be aware of these things so you can't fault them for that.**

**Guest: I'll handle her later on in the story.**

**Hyjaxx: Indeed.**

**LUMISA KOSUGI: A very good thought indeed.**

**Guest: I'll say the same thing for yo.**

**Guest: And you as well.**

**Guest: I think the stress from everything that's happening is dwindling me down little by little, but I'm glad you enjoy the story. As for Six getting back to the UNSC and the matter with the outer settlements, I'll handle that in the future.**

**LDS: I'll give it a read, but probably won't pick it up. I would need the author's permission first and I already have enough on my plate at the moment. Sorry for that.**

**ODST-LEMBCKE: Here it is.**

**Jak Fortune: Yeah, he did get what was coming to him.**

**Juancholo: I don't know about that.**

**One: I don't really do the whole self promoting business, not really my thing. If people find this story and enjoy it, cool, otherwise I don't really mind.**

**Guest: Right.**

**Guest: She might ask after this encounter.**

**PURPLE HIBISCUS: Don't blame you for not enjoying the other three as much, I started all of those when I first joined fanfiction. To be honest, there were several times when I considered scrapping them, but figured I'd at least fixed whatever garbage I put them as. Anyways, I enjoy your review as well.**

**Twisted Stigma: Had to do something that didn't fall into the trope.**

**Jayz21501: Here's another chapter.**

**Guest: I don't mind if they don't to be honest. I think those two things are only for like, really famous stories.**

**C4NDY 50F7: That's an interesting idea.**

**Guest: Well summarized.**

**Guest: Possibly.**

**Guest: I would laugh writing that.**

**Guest: Why the negativity?**

**Mr. Hexalia: Hope he at least sorted them out this chapter.**

**I think I might take a break on writing after this chapter, don't know anymore. For some reason, my head's not on straight as it did when the school year ended and I'm faced with more stress now than before. I guess I'm just out of the game and it's bleeding into my writing. Granted, writing is what makes some of my troubles go away, but I'm faced with stress either way. Still, I'm glad to those of you who have waited patiently for this chapter. I know my update speed is slowing down as the year goes on, but I'd rather take my time and write this than pump several garbage chapters out.**

**I'm still confused about life now, because I'm at a point where I feel like I made a mistake and it's too late to back out now. Shit's getting more and more confusing as time passes and I'm part of the problem I guess... or so I've been told. I don't know.**

**Anyways, enough about that, take it easy everyone and stay safe out there. Catch you guys later.**


	22. I'll see you guys later

**That feeling of helplessness is slowly clouding my mind. I want to get over it, but I feel as if it's a burden to some. To be honest, I don't know why I'm feeling like this. Maybe it's the fact that I finally see how horrible the world is now, despite me seeing the previous signs. That no matter how hard and good I look, the bad outweighs the good.**

**Someone brought this up to me recently and it's put me in a funk. Might go away for a while, don't know how long though. I'm not abandoning my stories and no, they're not up for adoption so don't bother asking. Who knows, this whole thing might blow over soon along with this whole funk of mine after a while. Despite the ups this year has had, there is more bad than good. It's all I'm really seeing at this point in time. Farewell everyone and please stay safe.**


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